Walk-a-Thon Accident Toll Mounts to 5 : 2 More Mississippi Sorority Sisters Die After Highway Accident

OXFORD, Miss. —  Two more University of Mississippi sorority sisters injured while taking part in a charity walk-a-thon died today, bringing the death toll from the highway accident to five, officials said.

A one-ton truck pulling a hay-baler slammed into a small foreign car that was trailing 20 walkers on the shoulder of the four-lane roadway Thursday afternoon. Nine students remained hospitalized today.

The driver of the truck said he swerved to avoid the rearmost car escorting the walkers and struck a second escort vehicle.

“The truck, the car and everything went over into the girls,” said state trooper Ricky Roy. Troopers said that the speed limit on the highway was 55 m.p.h. and that there was no indication of excessive speed. There was no evidence of drug or alcohol use involved, the patrol said.

D. D. Cvitanovich, chief of patrol for the state police, said no police parade permit was needed for the walk alongside the highway.

The members of the Chi Omega chapter were walking from Batesville to their sorority house on campus about 25 miles away to raise money for the Mississippi Kidney Foundation, Chancellor Gerald Turner said.

Hess Worsham and Margaret Gardner, who was driving the car that was hit, died today in the Regional Medical Center in Memphis, where they were being treated for severe head injuries, authorities said.

Killed at the scene were Mary Langford and Beth Roberson, police said. Robin Simmons died Thursday night in the Memphis hospital. All the victims were 20 years old.

Three students remained in critical condition in intensive care today at Oxford-Lafayette Medical Center, officials said. Of the six others hospitalized there, one was listed in serious condition and five in fair condition.

Two students were treated for minor injuries and released.

More than 50 sorority members and friends consoled relatives of the victims at the Oxford hospital Thursday evening, with many donating blood.

“People on campus are in a state of shock,” said Jan Robertson, coordinator of university news. “It is tragic that a benefit set up to help people and save lives ends up with the loss of lives.”