The Starkville man charged with manslaughter in the death of a Starkville woman over the weekend is a former Tupelo police officer, Capt. Brett Watson with the Oktibbeha County Sheriff’s Office confirmed this morning.
James Heath Kitchens, 30, was charged after hitting Brittany Phillips, 26, with his car on Riviera Road in northeast Oktibbeha County around 8 p.m. Saturday night. Watson told The Dispatch that Kitchens and Phillips were in a relationship and have a child together but did not say if the collision was an escalation of a domestic situation.
Phillips was pronounced dead early Sunday morning at OCH Regional Medical Center. Kitchens was released from Oktibbeha County Jail on Monday after posting a $25,000 bond, Watson said.
OCSO is still investigating the incident and has not released any other details.
A Tupelo city spokesperson told The Dispatch Kitchens was employed as a police officer there from January 2019 to May 2020.
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