MABEN — The Oktibbeha County Sheriff’s Department has arrested a Eupora man believed to be responsible for a hit-and-run that hospitalized Nick Lewis, a well-known Maben resident.
Lt. Brett Watson said the department arrested Charles Privett, 30, on suspicion of leaving the scene of an accident with injuries.
Watson said Lewis, 73, suffered serious injuries after a vehicle struck him Monday evening on Maben-Bell Schoolhouse Road. Watson said the department responded to the incident at 5:10 p.m. and Lewis was taken to North Mississippi Medical Center in Tupelo. He said Lewis is in stable condition.
Watson said Privett was booked in Oktibbeha County Jail. He said investigation will likely continue for a few more days and encouraged anyone with information to contact Oktibbeha County Sheriff’s Department.
Lewis is a fixture of Maben, according to Maben resident and longtime friend Terry Harpole.
Lewis is known through Maben for his daily routine of riding his bicycle around town.
Harpole has been Lewis’ neighbor for more than 60 years.
“He would get up in the morning early and go down to the flower store and talk to the lady who works there,” he said. “Everybody knew him. He’d go to the parts store and the talk to people there.”
Ken Norwood, owner of Maben Auto Parts, said Lewis had gone to that store, and many others, for years. He said Lewis’ father was a barber in Maben for 45 years and that Lewis would stop by the shop decades ago, just as he still does today.
“He’s a staple,” Norwood said. “He’s been here all his life. He comes by here usually every day, unless it’s raining or he’s under the weather. You’re always gonna see him three, four, five times a week –usually here late in the morning or sometimes after lunch.”
Norwood said Lewis would usually visit for two to four hours, going back and forth between the auto parts shop and the Friendly Florist next door.
Harpole said the town was shocked to hear Lewis was hurt in the incident.
“It was just a real bad thing for someone to hit somebody like that and just keep going,” Harpole said. “Maben is a small town anyway, so everyone is praying for him and concerned about him.”
Norwood echoed Harpole’s sentiments.
“Everybody in the community is highly upset,” he said. “It’s bad enough to hit and run over somebody and just leave them in the ditch, but for our community, it makes it so much worse knowing that it’s a special needs person.”
Still, some good news has emerged in the days since the incident. Harpole said Lewis’ brother said his condition has improved to the point that he no longer needs breathing assistance from a machine.
Harpole said Lewis is a friendly, easygoing person. He said Lewis is an avid Mississippi State University fan, and strongly supported the West Oktibbeha County High School teams, as well as East Webster High School.
“He was a talkative person,” Harpole said. “He was always in a good mood and wanted everybody to be in a good mood. If he walked up to someone and they were for one team in football, he was with them too, but when he got away, he was always back to his Bulldogs.
“He didn’t want anyone arguing or fussing,” Harpole added. “He wanted everyone to get along with each other.”
Alex Holloway was formerly a reporter with The Dispatch.
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