Fallen scrap metal leaves trail of flat tires on Old Macon Road

LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – From the racetrack to the river, metal debris can be found all along the road, in people’s tires, and in unusual cases through people’s windshields.

Arthur Brown said he has to replace tires for several cars and trucks each month just by driving out of his driveway, totaling thousands of dollars.

“I’m spending a lot of money on tires, that I shouldn’t have to be because of the scrap metal that’s falling off of their trucks, Jones Logistics,” said Brown.

Alta Marie Whitfield is a lifelong resident of Old Macon Road, also called 182 Wes, and said scrap metal trucks have been leaving debris in her neighborhood for years.

She said a sweeper comes by occasionally but apparently, the scraps are brushed into her driveway.

“Somebody sweeps the road every now and then but they’re sweeping it in the drives and on the side of the road, not picking it up,” said Whitfield.

Whitfield said she picked all this scrap metal up out of her driveway.

“Was in my drive. I picked it up out of my drive,” said Whitfield.

She proposed a solution.

“I think they need to send somebody every day with a magnet to pick it up every day,” said Whitfield.

Whitfield said she believed race played a key role in the lack of help residents on her road have gotten.

“I believe it’s cause we’re in a black neighborhood. We’re in a black neighborhood. We’ve talked to people. We’ve gone down and talked to them and nothing has been done. We’re just tired of it,” said Whitfield.

District 5 Supervisor Leroy Brooks said this has been a problem for years. He said Jones Logistics has been cooperative and he’s confident a solution can be reached.

“It’s just a matter of evaluating what needs to be done,” he said. “I wasn’t aware that they were sweeping the scrap metal up in the driveways and etc. I don’t think it’s an obstacle that we can’t overcome. It’s just a matter of the stakeholders getting together, discussing the seriousness of the problem, and see what we can do.”

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