It took over an hour for a Neshoba County jury to convict a man accused of leaving the scene of an accident in which a 2-year-old child was killed April 29, 2021.
Andrew Graham Winstead, 27, of Philadelphia was convicted of felony leaving the scene of an accident which resulted in a death on Wednesday, Nov. 9, according to District Attorney Steven Kilgore.
Kilgore said the jury trial, which was held in the courtroom of Judge Caleb May, had two full days of testimony, including eyewitnesses, character witnesses and a DNA expert.
“The jury had a lot of evidence to consider when they went back to deliberate,” Kilgore said. “We are pleased with the verdict. The victim’s family has been through a lot over the last year. I hope that this will bring some closure to the family.”
Winstead was driving a 2017 Chevrolet Silverado headed west on Hwy. 492 when his vehicle allegedly struck 2-year-old Nolan Riley Norris at 8:48 p.m. on April 29, 2021. The child was pronounced dead on the scene.
“The Silverado collided with a toddler that had run into the road,” said to Sgt. Jameka D. Moore of the Mississippi Highway Patrol in a statement last year. “The toddler died as a result of their injuries. Mr. Winstead, the driver of the Silverado returned to the scene of the crash, but after realizing that he had struck a child, he left the scene.”
Winstead was taken into custody a short time later by Neshoba County Sheriff Deputies and was placed under arrest.
“He was apprehended 27 minutes after the crash on Hwy. 19 by Neshoba County Sheriff’s deputies,” Kilgore said. “Mr. Winstead had apparently called a body shop prior to him being arrested by Neshoba County Sheriff’s deputies.”
Kilgore said that Winstead’s defense team did not elect to let him testify on the stand.
Winstead will be sentenced this week in Neshoba County Circuit Court. The conviction carries a sentence of a minimum of five years and a maximum of 20 years.
