The scorched remains of a Jeep Cherokee rest on the west side guardrail on U.S. Highway 51 north of Halls on Sunday. Several people were injured in the accident, which required ambulance services from Dyersburg and Ripley, as well as two helicopters for transport. Both north- and southbound lanes of the road were closed for almost two hours after the 1:48 a.m. accident.

One of the two vehicles involved in the accident on U.S. Highway 51 north of Halls near Mill Creek Road that occurred at about 1:48 a.m.

According to the Tennessee Highway Patrol, the accident was reported about 1:48 a.m. at the highway near the intersection with Mill Creek Road about a mile north of Halls.

Tennessee Department of Safety spokesman Mike Browning said the collision occurred when a 2004 Ford Explorer driven by Max A. Bingham, 31, of Halls was turning from the northbound lanes through the cut in the median to Mill Creek Road when the vehicle collided with a 2001 Ford Mustang driven south by Tanya L. Harris, 47, Ripley.

The Explorer caught on fire and was completely immolated by the time Halls firefighters arrived.

Bingham was transported by ambulance to Baptist-Lauderdale Hospital in Ripley.

Four people were in the Mustang. Harris was transported to Dyersburg Regional Medical Center by ambulance; David Hering, 28, Ripley, was in the front passenger seat. He was transported to DRMC by ambulance.

The two back-seat passengers, Courtney Willis, Ripley and Dawn Hering, 26, were each flown by the two Air Evac Lifeteam helicopters that landed on the northbound lanes of the highway to the Regional Medical Center in Memphis. Dawn Hering had been ejected from the car, said the report.

Bottles of alcohol were found at the accident scene, said Browning.

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No charges have been filed and the case remains under investigation, he said.