According to County Coroner Jeremy Deaton, Cherokee County 9-1-1 received a call at 5:12 Monday morning reporting a single-vehicle crash on Highway 35 near the intersection with County Road 810, just south of Blanche; the caller originally stated that the driver had been ejected and the vehicle was on fire.

The Broomtown Fire Department responded along with personnel from Cherokee EMS – to find that the victim had indeed been ejected from the car and was deceased.

At that point Deaton and Chief Deputy Coroner Paul McDonald also responded to the scene, and identified the victim as Paul Lamar Middleton age 52 of Summerville, Georgia.  Coroner Deaton informed WEIS Radio News that Middleton’s vehicle apparently left the roadway on Highway 35, and came to rest on County Road 810, where he was ejected and died instantly from his injuries. 

Deaton is investigating whether or not Middleton possibly suffered any medical event prior to leaving the roadway.

The Cherokee County Rescue Squad and Alabama Law Enforcement Agency also responded to the scene.