2 men seriously injured on Bogue Chitto River | News

Two Pike County men were seriously injured in separate incidents about 24 hours apart on the Bogue Chitto River.

Pike County Sheriff Mark Shepherd said Zachary Alexander was on a floating trip Monday with friends and attempted to do a flip from the river bank and landed on his head. Alexander was airlifted to University of Mississippi Medical Center with serious injuries.

Sunday, Justin Howell, 19, suffered a spinal cord injury after diving in the river. Howell was also airlifted to UMMC and is paralyzed, Shepherd said.

Justin Howell is the son of Jason Howell, a McComb firefighter, and Theresa Howell, according to the “Prayers for Justin Howell” Facebook page and the Enterprise-Journal.

The sheriff said alcohol was not a factor in either of these incidents.

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