A one-vehicle accident claimed the life of a Lincoln County manThursday evening, officials said.

Lincoln County Coroner Clay McMorris said Ronnie Stegall, 49, ofPricedale Dr., was pronounced dead at the scene of the accidentaround 7 p.m. Thursday. Officials said Stegall appeared to havelost control of his 1999 GMC Sierra Z-71 just south of the 30-milemarker on Interstate 55 northbound.

“He’d been planting trees yesterday with his son at their landin Summit and he was on his way back from there when the accidenthappened,” McMorris said Friday morning.

Stegall was traveling alone, McMorris said.

Mississippi Highway Patrol Troop M Public Affairs Officer RustyBoyd said Stegall was wearing his seat belt at the time of theaccident. He said initial reports indicate the vehicle went off theright side of the road and overcorrected, sending the car into thetrees in the left median.

“You never know exactly why people run off the road sometimes,”he said. “There are so many reasons things like this canhappen.”

The accident is still under investigation, and an autopsy isscheduled for Friday, McMorris said.