Four-wheeler crash kills teen, sends twin 6-year-olds to UMC

Published 12:00 am Thursday, December 24, 2009

A 15-year-old Warren County girl died and 6-year-old twins were hospitalized after a four-wheeler they were riding careened off Campbell Swamp Road Wednesday afternoon and flipped.

Killed was Caitlin R. Lopez, daughter of Johnny and Rose “Bodie” Lopez.

At University Medical Center today were Kaylee “Karlisle” Madison and Kimberly “Klawsen” Madison, daughters of Chris Madison and Selena Madison. Karlisle was listed in good condition by the Jackson hospital and Klawsen’s condition was given as fair.

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Ambulance, rescue and sheriff’s department personnel responded at 2:50 p.m. to the accident scene on the rural road several miles east of U.S. 61 in south Warren County and quickly determined an airlift would be needed. They worked in tandem to clear at least 25 miles of road from the accident scene to the hospital.

Caitlin, however, was pronounced dead at 4:25 p.m. in the emergency room at River Region Medical Center, Warren County Coroner Doug Husky said.

Klawsen was flown by helicopter to the state’s only Level 1 trauma center immediately after arriving at River Region, Warren County Sheriff Martin Pace said. Karlisle was treated in River Region’s emergency room and taken to UMC by ambulance at about 10 p.m.

Pace said a description of what happened was being pieced together.

“At this time, we do not know which one of the children was operating the vehicle,” Pace said. “It appears all three were riding on one ATV.”

Caitlin lived a few hundred yards away from the accident at 4100 Campbell Swamp Road with her parents. Karlisle and Klawsen, who live in Vicksburg, were visiting the Lopez family for the day.

The Yamaha Big Bear four-wheeler, Pace said, ran into a barbed wire fence knocking down several fence posts and rolled over several times before coming to rest on its side next to a tree.

Both of the Madison girls are students at Bowmar Avenue Elementary, where one is in kindergarten and the other in first grade.

Caitlin was a ninth-grader and one of the youngest sopranos in the Vicksburg High Madrigals before leaving the school about two months ago to be taught at home, said her sister, Kristy Lopez of Tallulah.

“She loved music. She loved dancing and acting crazy — always trying to make somebody laugh,” her sister said.

Another sister, Sidney Case, who also lived on Campbell Swamp Road, said she and Caitlin strolled through Pemberton Square on Tuesday night shopping for boots. Case said she will remember Caitlin tenderly watching her 4-month-old nephew, Seth, Case’s child, during the trip, and an “unforgettable feeling” that followed.

In addition to her parents and two sisters, Caitlin is survived by another sister, Kimberly, and by David Case, her brother-in-law.

Glenwood Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.

The four-wheeler fatality was the second in Warren County in 2009.

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Contact Tish Butts at tbutts@vicksburgpost.com