Laurel Community Mourns Renita Amauri Lane-Pruitt, 20, After Fatal I-59 Incident On May 20, 2026
Renita Amauri Lane-Pruitt, 20, of Laurel, Mississippi, passed away after a tragic roadway incident on Interstate 59.
According to the Laurel Police Department, Renita had left a phone on the roof of a car after leaving a restaurant with a passenger.
As the car traveled northbound from South 16th Avenue toward the South 13th Avenue overpass, the phone fell, and Renita later returned by the Leontyne Price Boulevard exit.
Authorities said Renita stopped on I-59 southbound, stepped from the car, crossed the center median wall, and entered active lanes while trying to retrieve the phone.
A passing vehicle hit Renita, and the driver remained at the scene and cooperated with investigators.
Loved ones and the Laurel community remember Renita as warm, kind, joyful, and deeply valued by those who knew them.
Details regarding memorial arrangements will be announced later by family members.
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