A traffic wreck on Monday evening on a Meridian highway took the lives of a mother and daughter, formerly of Vicksburg, while two others, one a former Vicksburg Post employee, were taken to a hospital.

Angela Sampson, 65, and her daughter, Patricia Brewster, 46, both of 2195 Knox Road, Toomsuba, were pronounced dead at 5:10 p.m. at the scene, Lauderdale County Coroner Clayton Cobler said.

“(Angela) was a church-going person,” said Sampson’s sister Martha Parker of Meridian. “And Patricia was real nice. When you look at Patricia, you see a child, but she wasn’t. She was just real nice.”

The wreck occurred after the 1992 Toyota Camry in which they were passengers veered off the road and crashed down a 10-foot embankment on U.S. 11/80 near Sweet Gum Bottom Road, Meridian police Lt. Buck Roberts said.

He said the driver, Mary J. Townsend, 68, 303 C St., Meridian, and back-seat passenger and former Vicksburg Post employee Travis Brewster, 28, were injured and taken to local hospitals.

Roberts said Travis Brewster was treated and released from Jeff Anderson Regional Medical Center in Meridian. “I was walking out with him as he was leaving the hospital,” Roberts said. Brewster worked in the Post’s circulation department before his family moved in December.

“He got stitches in his mouth and his face is swollen,” Parker said. “He’s real upset.”

Townsend was taken to Riley Hospital, also in Meridian. A hospital spokesman did not return a call.

Roberts said Townsend told police the cause of the wreck, which was reported at 4:34 p.m., was due to mechanical problems within her Toyota Camry.

But due to the severity of the crash, he said the cause could not be determined.

Parker said her sister, niece and grand-nephew, all originally from Meridian, moved to Vicksburg nearly five years ago after Hurricane Katrina. She said the family returned to Meridian in December.

In addition to Travis Brewster, Patricia Brewster is survived by her two other sons, Terry Brewster and Terrence, both of Meridian.

In addition to her grandchildren, Sampson is survived by her sister Parker.

Sampson was a former resident of the Magnolia Manor in Vicksburg, an employee of the apartments said. He said she had been living there for two years before moving just before Christmas. Berry & Gardner Funeral Homes in Meridian has charge of arrangements.

Contact Manivanh Chanprasith at mchan@vicksburgpost.com