A Warren County grandfather described as “talkative and loving” was killed in a one-vehicle wreck Thursday afternoon on Fisher Ferry Road less than 4 miles from his home.

John T. McMahon, 67, 5658 Jeff Davis Road, was killed instantly, Warren County Coroner Doug Huskey said, when his 1999 Ford F-250 ran off the road before slamming to a stop between two trees around 1:50 p.m. in the 6300 block of Fisher Ferry Road, Warren County investigator Chris Satcher said.

Satcher said McMahon was southbound near Hometown Road when the passenger side tires of his truck left the road.

“It looks like he couldn’t regain control and hit at least two trees,” Satcher said. “This was the hardest impact I’ve seen in a while.”

Huskey said the cause of death was trauma to the head and chest, and no autopsy would be performed. A toxicology report was ordered as standard procedure, and Huskey said the results could take up to 90 days to return.

Warren County Sheriff Martin Pace said McMahon was not wearing a seat belt.

“It’s just still too early for us to say what caused him to run off the road,” Pace said.

Officials from the Warren County Sheriff’s Department, Fisher Ferry Volunteer Fire Department and Vicksburg Fire Department were on the scene for nearly two hours.

McMahon’s youngest daughter, Shannon Gilligan of Natchez, said he was on his way home from visiting his 88-year-old mother, Lorenne McMahon, when the accident happened.

Ladru McMahon, McMahon’s wife of 22 years, said her husband was known for his friendly personality.

“He was just a happy-go-lucky kind of fellow,” Ladru McMahon said. “He loved to talk a lot, and he loved football.”

Ladru McMahon said her husband retired from Heavy Equipment Parts and Service about eight years ago and served in the U.S. Army.

“He was very loving and came from a very loving family,” Ladru McMahon said. “He was crazy about deer hunting and that computer.”

Ladru McMahon said her husband is survived by two other children, Terri Hali of California and Jeff McMahon of Colorado. He had nine grandchildren.

Fisher Funeral Home has charge of the arrangements.

The fatal wreck was the sixth in Warren County outside the city this year, in addition to two reported inside the city limits.