MERIDIAN, Miss. — Authorities have identified the woman found dead along Interstate 20 in Meridian on Saturday morning as Johanna Nieves-Velazquez, 52, according to Lauderdale County Coroner Stella McMahan.
McMahan said her office received a call shortly before 6 a.m. on September 13 about a body near the eastbound lanes of I-20, close to the I-59/I-20 split and the Meridian Regional Airport. Emergency responders discovered Nieves-Velazquez at the scene, where she was pronounced dead.
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Preliminary findings indicate she was likely struck by a vehicle, though investigators are still piecing together exactly how the incident occurred. Assistant Chief Dareall Thompson confirmed the Meridian Police Department is leading the investigation with assistance from the Mississippi Highway Patrol.
It remains unclear whether the driver involved stayed at the scene or if authorities have located the vehicle. Officials have not disclosed details about witnesses or what may have led to the fatal collision.
Traffic along I-20 was briefly disrupted Saturday morning as officers collected evidence, examined skid marks and debris, and documented the area for clues. Investigators say any dash-camera recordings or surveillance footage from nearby businesses could be vital to determining the events leading up to the tragedy.
Community members expressed shock that the fatal incident happened on such a busy stretch of highway. Coroner McMahan noted her office is working with the victim’s relatives and that funeral arrangements will be shared once the family is ready.
Police are urging anyone who was driving eastbound on I-20 around dawn on September 13 — or anyone with information or video from the area — to contact the Meridian Police Department at (601) 485-1893.