Teacher killed by wrong-way driver on highway

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CANTON, Mississippi (WAPT) — The family of a Canton teacher who was killed in a wrong-way driving accident on a highway wants her to be remembered as a role model in the community and in the lives of her family and friends.

Tyra Small-Jackson died in a head-on collision on Interstate 55 near the Gluckstadt exit on Saturday. According to Gluckstadt police, Jordan Sullivan was driving the wrong way on the interstate and crashed into Jackson’s vehicle, killing her. Three other people were also injured.

Sullivan is charged with drunk driving in connection with the accident.

Small-Jackson has been an educator in the Canton School District for 23 years and was recently named Nichols Middle School Teacher of the Year for the 2023-2024 school year.

“Her wonderful spirit will live on forever in the memories and in the hearts and minds of the countless lives she touched,” the school district said in a statement. “We are grateful for Mrs. Small-Jackson’s years of outstanding service to the Canton Public School District. She dedicated her life to making sure her students felt loved and prepared for the next level. She will be truly missed.”

Small-Jackson was married with three children and one grandchild. She also leaves behind three sisters and her parents, all of whom are devastated.

“Being the oldest, I’ve always tried to protect her from everything, and this is just one thing I couldn’t protect her from,” Sister Sharetta Donalson said.

Donalson said she will miss her youngest sister’s smile and laughter the most.

“Just being a part of us – we were a close clique,” ​​Donalson said.

Family members said Tyra loved to sing. While she was a student in Canton, she sang in the movie “The Jury.”

“We could be in a restaurant and someone could be celebrating a birthday and singing the usual ‘Happy Birthday’ and she would say, ‘Let’s sing the Stevie Wonder version,'” Donalson said.

Her family says they hope to create scholarship opportunities in the Canton Public School District in her memory.

“We have a lot of confidence, so we will do it,” Donalson said.

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