Two Summit men were in a Jackson hospital today recovering from back and neck injuries they suffered while diving head-first into the Bogue Chitto River over the Memorial Day weekend.
Zachary Alexander, 23, of Ward Drive, reportedly suffered a fracture in the C-6 vertebrae of his neck after doing a back flip off a cliff near the Bogue Chitto Water Park boat ramp around 3:15 p.m. Monday, officials said.
Alexander was airlifted from the scene to University Medical Center in Jackson.
A hospital spokesman said this morning that Alexander is in stable condition in the intensive care unit.
Around 2:45 p.m. Sunday afternoon, Justin Howell, 19, of Barnett Road, suffered a spinal cord injury after reportedly diving into the water head-first from a tire swing.
That accident happened near the same area as Monday’s mishap, officials said.
Howell also was airlifted to UMC, where he was in stable condition in ICU this morning.
Pike County Sheriff Mark Shepherd said people who go to the river for fun should be aware of its dangers.
“Don’t do that. It’s not hard to figure out. Don’t jump off the banks,” Shepherd said. “Some of these injuries are possibly lifetime injuries.
“It saddens my heart to see people out there having a good time and creating themselves a lifetime injury. People should know better,” the sheriff said.
Pike County Civil Defense Director Richard Coghlan said this morning that water levels near the scene of the accidents range between 61/2 to 7 feet deep, which he called normal.
