TUPELO, MS: On Sunday, May 6, 2012, at 12:40 p.m., emergency responders were dispatched to an accident involving a motor vehicle and bicyclist at milepost 146, south of Kosciusko, MS.
Dr. Gary D. Holdiness, age 54, from Kosciusko, was riding his bicycle south on the Parkway when he was struck by a Toyota FJ Cruiser, driven by a 17-year old male. Holdiness was pronounced dead at the scene.
The Parkway was closed for nearly 4 hours and traffic was detoured as a Parkway traffic-accident reconstructionist analyzed the scene. The investigation is expected to take several weeks to complete before a cause can be determined. Agencies assisting with the accident and investigation include the Mississippi Highway Patrol, Attala County Sheriff’s Department and Coroner, and the Kosciusko Police Department.
This is the first bicycle-related fatality on the Natchez Trace Parkway since 2009.
