A Starkville man is dead after he was struck by a vehicle while he biked along Highway 25 Sunday.
Oktibbeha County Coroner Michael Hunt confirmed Jay Burrell, 54, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash near Pinelake Church.
Few details of the accident are known as Starkville Police Department had not yet responded to a media inquiry as of press time, but Hunt said the accident was reported about 7:10 p.m. after Burrell was struck by a SUV while biking in or near Highway 25’s right southbound lane.
Burrell’s body was sent to the Mississippi Crime Lab for an autopsy, Hunt said.
Burrell was the director of information technology infrastructure at Mississippi State University’s Information Technology Services division. MSU Chief Communications Officer Sid Salter said the university was “shocked and saddened” to learn of the accident and its employees’ “thoughts and prayers are with (Burrell’s) family, friends and colleagues.”
“He was a force of nature behind the scenes at the university and a fantastic man,” Salter said.
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