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Michael Valera

Age : 32

Gender : Male

Race : Latino/a/e

Date : 02/18/2026

Location : Interstate 10 near Mississippi Highway 609 (Ocean Springs Exit 50)

City : Ocean Springs area

County : Jackson

State : Mississippi

Agency : St. Joseph Services (private prisoner transport

Officer(s) :Unknown

Cause of Death : Vehicle

Event : Prisoner transport van crash

OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :

On 02/18/2026, a private prisoner transport van operated by St. Joseph Services crashed around 9:30 a.m. on westbound Interstate 10 near the Mississippi Highway 609 exit in Jackson County, striking a pole, overturning, and colliding with a utility truck during an interstate extradition transport that began in Florida. The van caught fire with restrained prisoners and officers inside, and rescuers cut into the vehicle to extract occupants as multiple agencies responded. An officer and a prisoner inside the transport van died from crash-related injuries, while two other occupants in the van and the utility truck driver were seriously injured.

 

SOURCE LINKS :

https://www.wlox.com/2026/02/18/new-details-officer-prisoner-killed-3-others-seriously-injured-following-prisoner-transport-van-crash-i-10/
https://www.wlox.com/2026/02/18/update-2-dead-2-critically-injured-after-wreck-between-prisoner-transport-van-utility-truck-jackson-county/
https://www.fox10tv.com/2026/02/19/dashcam-footage-shows-deadly-wreck-involving-prisoner-transport-van-i-10/