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Published on the WLBT News - June 2, 2009
TUPELO, MS () - Law enforcement officers from across the region joined family and friends at a Tupelo Church to honor one of their own who died in the line of duty.
A funeral service was held for Mississippi Highway Patrol Master Sergeant Steve Hood of Union County. Hood died Friday when his patrol car wrecked during a pursuit near the border of Lee County and Prentiss County.
A bond has been set at $1 million dollars for the man charged in connection with Master Sgt. Hood's death.
Twenty-five year-old William a Francis is charged with felony fleeing and manslaughter.
Published in the NEMS Daily Journal - June 1, 2009
GUNTOWN - Steve Hood, 50, died Friday, May 29, 2009, in the line of duty as a Mississippi State Trooper. A native of Cleveland, he was born Dec. 11, 1958, to Claude and Doris Hood. He graduated from East Union High School in 1977 and then graduated from Northeast Mississippi Community College. He attended the Mississippi Highway Patrol Academy, graduating in 1982. He served as a state trooper from 1982 to 1985 in the Starkville district before transferring to the New Albany District, Troop F. He served as a master sergeant from 2001 to the present.
He was a member of Harrisburg Baptist Church. He was a wonderful Christian dad and husband. He enjoyed singing gospel songs. He was a man who loved the Lord and was a true testimony in the lives of many. He was an avid hunter with his son, Matthew, his uncle, Larry McCord, and his cousins. A practical joker, he had a laugh that will be missed by all. He died doing what he loved most, serving in the line of duty.
Services will be at 3:30 p.m. Monday at the Harrisburg Baptist Church in Tupelo with State Trooper Ray Hall, Rev. David Langerfeld and Dr. Forrest Sheffield officiating. Burial will be in Tupelo Memorial Park with honors presented by the State Highway Patrol Honor Guard. W.E. Pegues Funeral Directors is in charge of the arrangements.
Survivors include his wife of 26 years, Lisa Little Hood of Guntown; twin daughters, Stacie and Stephanie Hood of Guntown; one son, Matthew Hood of Guntown; his mother, Doris Hood of the Branyan community; two sisters, Robin Ellis of Branyan and Janene Thweatt (Randy) of Vancleave; three brothers, Tommy Hood (Terri) of Guntown, and Mark Hood (Cheryl) and Ricky Hood (Robyn) of Branyan. He was preceded in death by his father, Claude Hood.
Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. today in the Harrisburg Baptist Church sanctuary and will continue from 2:30 p.m. until service time Monday.
Memorials may be made to Harrisburg Baptist Church or the Mississippi State Trooper Association Scholarship Fund.
Published in the Jackson Clarion Ledger - June 1, 2009
Services are today for Mississippi Highway Safety Patrol Master Sgt. Steve Hood, 50, who was killed late Friday in a pursuit in northeast Mississippi.
Visitation is 2:30 p.m. at Harrisburg Baptist Church, 4675 Cliff Gookin Blvd., Tupelo. Services follow at 3:30 p.m., also at the church.
A graveside service will be held at Tupelo Memorial Park.
Hood's patrol car went off Mississippi 370 before midnight Friday and struck a tree. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
In custody in the chase is a Baldwyn man, Will Francis, 25. Francis is accused of felony fleeing and manslaughter. His arraignment is Tuesday.
Francis is believed to have been the driver of a Trans Am modified for racing. The vehicle, troopers say, was found in a shed on his Baldwyn property.
Hood had been a trooper with MHP Troop F in New Albany throughout most of his career, which began in 1982.
He is the 27th trooper to die in the line of duty since 1940 and the first since 1999.
He is survived by his wife and three children.
The Mississippi State Troopers Association has set up a fund for the Hood family. Donations may ben sent to MSTA/Steve Hood, Mississippi State Troopers Association, P.O. Box 22871, Jackson MS 39225-2871.
Published in the Biloxi - Gulfport Sun Herald - June 1, 2009
State troopers from South Mississippi travel to Tupelo today for the funeral of the Mississippi Highway Patrol's first fallen officer in 10 years.
Master Sgt. Steve Hood, 50, of Guntown, was killed Friday night in a traffic accident while following a man authorities said was leading officers on a high-speed pursuit.
"We're leaving at 6:30 Monday morning," said Cpl. Johnny Poulos of Troop K, which covers the six southern counties. "He's the first we've lost since Paul Denham in December 1999."
Ennis "Paul" Denham II was killed in a traffic accident in Bay St. Louis.
Hood's funeral services are in Tupelo. He had been a state trooper since 1982.
MHP Col. Michael Berthay said a man in a Pontiac Trans Am modified for racing was speeding on Mississippi 370 near the Lee and Prentiss county lines Friday night. Hood turned around and tried to stop the driver. The driver sped up and Hood lost control of his car and struck a tree. He died in the crash.
Berthay said the Trans Am had no hood and was "equipped with a nitrous kit for racing."
Authorities have found the driver and the vehicle. William A. Francis, 25, of Baldwyn, is held on charges of felony fleeing and manslaughter.
"People should understand that something as simple as speeding, normally resulting in a traffic ticket, will result in serious criminal charges if a person flees from an officer resulting in the death or injury of a law enforcement officer or any other citizen," Berthay said.
Berthay said Hood lived up to MHP's motto of providing safety for the motoring public every day.
Hood leaves a wife, twin daughters and a son.
Published in the Jackson Clarion Ledger - May 31, 2009
A 25-year-old man from Baldwyn is facing felony fleeing and manslaughter charges in the Friday night chase that ended in the death of a veteran state trooper.
Will Francis was arrested at his home Saturday following an intense search by several law enforcement agencies. The vehicle he is suspected of driving in the chase, a Trans-Am modified with nitrous for racing, was found in a shed on his property, Master Sgt. H.L. Kitchens said.
Master Sgt. Steve Hood was chasing the vehicle on Mississippi 370 near the Prentiss-Lee County line in northeast Mississippi when his squad car left the road and struck a tree near Brice's Crossroads Military Park, officials say.
Lee County's coroner pronounced Hood, 50, dead at the scene.
Hood had been a trooper at MHP Troop F in New Albany since 1982. He is the 27th trooper to die in the line of duty since 1940, but the first since 1999.
Officials said the chase started when Hood spotted the speeding car and tried to pull it over. Whether Francis knew Hood crashed isn't known, but he allegedly attempted to hide the Trans-Am, Kitchens said.
"There were a lot of witnesses that came forth to tell us what they saw," Kitchens said.
The patrol also reported that Francis had three passengers in the car during the chase. Kitchens said all three were questioned and released. He said they will not be charged. "(Francis) is the one who started the chase. He's the one who chose not to pull over and just accept his speeding ticket."
He said nitrous is not illegal, but it is illegal to use it on highways. Kitchens said the Trans-Am was driving in excess of 140 mph. He said it is not clear how fast the patrol car was going.
Lee and Prentiss County sheriff's officials and highway patrol reconstructionists were at the wreck site late Friday, investigating, the report said. The state's Bureau of Investigation is assisting in the probe.
"He was an exemplary trooper and a family man," said Col. Michael Berthay. "Words cannot measure or state the loss that the patrol and patrol families feel."
The death came just days before Hood and other longtime troopers were to take their captain's exam.
"I saw him (Friday) morning and we were both going over questions and talking about the big day," said Master Sgt. Mark Pitner, who stills plans to take the exam on Wednesday.
He said he will carry the memory of his friend with him when he sits down for the test.
"I have to," said Pitner as he looked at the pictures on Hood's desk. "I'm going to wish he was there and wish we could have served as captains together.
"He was a great leader, and I know he would have made a fine captain."
About a year ago, a fellow trooper helped save Hood's life after an accident on Hood's land in Union County.
A large limb crashed onto Hood's head as he rode his tractor, piling up debris.
Trooper Ray Hall, patrolling near Hood's home, was the first trooper to arrive on the scene. Hall used his state-issued GPS to bring the helicopter directly to Hood, officials said.
Hood is survived by his wife and three children.
Published on the WXVT News - May 31, 2009
TUPELO, Miss. (AP) - A 25-year-old Baldwyn man has been charged with felony fleeing and manslaughter following a pursuit that killed a state trooper in northeast Mississippi.
Authorities say Master Sgt. Steve Hood's car left the highway Friday and hit a tree near Brice's Crossroads Military Park. The Highway Safety Patrol says an investigation revealed eye witness statements that led to Saturday's arrest of William A. Francis of Baldwyn.
Francis allegedly led authorities on a chase in a car modified for racing after driving westbound on Mississippi Highway 370 at a high rate of speed. Authorities say Hood saw the vehicle as he traveled eastbound and pursued it.
The crash occurred near the border of Lee County and Prentiss County.
Hood had been a trooper since 1982.
Published in the Jackson Clarion Ledger - May 30, 2009
A 25-year-old man from Baldwyn was charged today in a Friday night chase that ended in the death of a veteran state trooper.
Will Francis is charged with felony fleeing and manslaughter pending his arraignment Tuesday, the highway patrol's Troop F in New Albany said in a news release around 7 p.m.
Master Sgt. Steve Hood, 50, a member of the state's Highway Safety Patrol since 1982, was chasing a vehicle on Miss. 370 near the Prentiss-Lee County line in northeast Mississippi when his squad car left the road and struck a tree.
Lee County's coroner pronounced Hood dead at the scene.
Apparently, Hood's squad car was the only vehicle involved in the crash near Brice's Crossroads Military Park, officials say.
A Friday news release said witnesses helped investigators locate the other vehicle.
The car recovered is a hoodless Trans-Am modified with nitrous for racing, the patrol said. Whether Francis knew Hood crashed isn't known, but the suspect apparently attempted to hide the Trans-Am in a shed at his home.
The suspect vehicle reached speeds topping 140 mph during the pursuit, the patrol reported.
The patrol also said Francis had three passengers in the car during the chase.
Their identities haven't been released, but officials reported late today that each had been questioned and released without charges.
Lee and Prentiss County sheriff's officials and highway patrol reconstructionists began their investigation late Friday at the wreck site, the report said.
The probe continues. The state's Bureau of Investigation is assisting.
"He was an exemplary trooper and a family man," said Col. Michael Berthay. "Steve was appointed to the highway patrol in 1982 and assigned for most of his career to Troop F and was originally from the Jericho community."
"Words cannot measure or state the loss that the patrol and patrol families feel."
About a year ago, a fellow trooper helped save Hood's life after an accident on Hood's land in Union County.
A large limb crashed into Hood's head as he rode his tractor, piling up debris.
Trooper Ray Hall was patrolling near Hood's home when the call for help went out and was the first trooper to arrive on the scene.
Hall realized the severity of the situation, called in the helicopter crew and used his state-issued GPS to bring the helicopter directly to Hood, officials said.
Hall, who is still on the force, was recognized for his efforts.
Hood is survived by his wife and three children.
In Memory of Master Sgt. Steve Hood
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