Jackson Free Press

A few minutes after 3 p.m., Friday, Jan. 23, 16-year-old Murrah High School junior LeChristopher "Chris" Ulmer was returning to school with three of his basketball teammates for a game. The green Ford Explorer was reportedly travelling around 70 miles per hour on Riverside Drive, twice the posted speed limit of 35.

"The driver lost control, struck the median, clipped a tree and … the vehicle rolled several times before coming to rest against another tree," Jackson Police Lt. Jeffery Scott told WLBT.

Ambulances transported Ulmer and 17-year-old junior Dundrecous Nelson, the driver, to University Medical Center, where Ulmer died of his injuries.

Doctors hospitalized Nelson for a fractured skull according to family members, but he was in good condition as of Monday, Jan. 26, and reportedly will go home later this week. Parents of Daniel Francis, another junior, and senior Jason Hubbard, owner of the Explorer, drove them to the hospital from the scene of the accident, where they received treatment for minor injuries prior to their release.

"The Murrah High School family is saddened by the loss of LaChristopher (sic) Ulmer. Chris was a very respectful and conscientious young man. He was a hard working student who took tremendous pride in his school, and he was popular among the entire faculty and student body. Chris truly will be missed," said Dr. Freddrick Murray, principal of Murrah High School, in a statement. "We are tremendously thankful that the other three young men are in good condition."

Jackson Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Lonnie Edwards also expressed his condolences in a statement.

"We are deeply saddened by this tragedy and the loss of this young man. We will support the family of this student in their time of bereavement, and we ask the entire city to join us in embracing them as well," Edwards said. "Our highest hopes and prayers are with the young man in the hospital."

As this paper went to press, police have not filed charges against any of the surviving teens. Reconstructing the accident and processing toxicology reports may take weeks, according to JPD.

The Greater Bethlehem Temple, located at 1550 Robinson Road in Jackson, is holding services for Ulmer at 11 a.m. Friday, Jan. 30.

Students at Murrah High School organized and led a prayer vigil for Ulmer Saturday, Jan. 24, and the school provided grief counselors for Ulmer's classmates on Monday.

JPS spokeswoman Peggy Hampton said that various groups at the school are planning commemorative events, adding that the school does not have a space large enough to hold the entire student body.

Players and attendees at the Tuesday, Jan. 27, basketball game against Jim Hill High School will observe a moment of silence prior to the start of the boys' game. Organizers changed the game's location from Jim Hill to Northwest Middle School because they expected attendance to be high. The Northwest Middle School gymnasium accommodates up to 900 people compared to Jim Hill's gymnasium, which holds approximately 650.

Madison Central High School rescheduled Friday's basketball game against Murrah for 6 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 31. Officials have not rescheduled the cancelled Jan. 23 basketball and soccer games against Wingfield High School.