MONTGOMERY – During the Fourth of July 78-hour travel period, which started at 6 p.m. Thursday, July 3, and ran through midnight Sunday, July 6, Alabama State Troopers investigated 237 crashes resulting in 10 fatalities and 123 injuries. The fatalities occurred in the following counties:

·         St. Clair

·         Coffee

·         Lowndes (3)

·         Mobile

·         Perry

·         Walker

·         Monroe

·         Tuscaloosa

The original releases for each are below.

SELMA POST – A single-vehicle crash Saturday, July 5, claimed the life of a Marion man. Robert Ford, 74, was killed when the 1995 Chevy Lumina he was driving left the roadway and struck a tree. The crash occurred at 7:25 p.m. on Alabama 175 10 miles north of Marion. Nothing further is available as Alabama State Troopers continue to investigate.

HAMILTON POST – A single-vehicle crash Saturday, July 5, claimed the life of a Jasper man. Billy Sheffield, 27, was killed when the 2009 Hyosung GT650R motorcycle he was operating left the roadway and struck a tree. The crash occurred at 4:15 p.m. on Baker Road three miles west of Jasper. Nothing further is available as Alabama State Troopers continue to investigate.

MOBILE POST — A pedestrian was killed at approximately 8:45 p.m. Sunday, July 6, on Old Pascagoula Road 1.5 miles south of Mobile. Pedro Montes Oterro, 33, of Theodore was killed when he was struck by a 2011 GMC pickup. Oterro was pronounced dead at the scene. No additional information is available as Alabama State Troopers continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the crash.

MONTGOMERY POST – A single-vehicle crash Sunday, July 6, claimed the life of a Calera man. Justin McDowell, 30, was killed when the 2006 Mercedes Benz he was driving left the roadway and overturned. The crash occurred at 7:27 p.m. on U.S. 80 (eastbound) at the 100 mile marker, one mile east of Dallas County. Nothing further is available as Alabama State Troopers continue to investigate.

DOTHAN POST – A single-vehicle crash Sunday, July 6, claimed the life of a Samson teen. Madison Lee Jerkins, 18, was killed when the 2001 Honda Accord she was driving left the roadway and struck a tree.  Jerkins, who was not using a seat belt, was pronounced dead at the scene.  The crash occurred at 5 a.m. on Coffee 625 in the Goodman community. Nothing further is available as Alabama State Troopers continue to investigate.

BIRMINGHAM POST – A single-vehicle crash Sunday, July 6, claimed the life of a Pell City man. Shannon Bowman, 36, was killed when the 2001 Suzuki GSX600F he was riding left the roadway and struck a tree. The crash occurred at 12:47 a.m. on Manning Road three miles north of Pell City. Nothing further is available as Alabama State Troopers continue to investigate.

MONTGOMERY POST – A two-vehicle crash Saturday, July 5, claimed two lives. Jeffrey Sawyer, 21, of Greenville and Zackary Smith, 13, of Greenville were both killed when the motorcycles they were operating collided. The crash occurred at 10:15 p.m. on Goldsmith Road five miles north of Whitehall. Helmets were not in use. Nothing further is available as Alabama State Troopers continue to investigate.

TUSCALOOSA POST – A single-vehicle crash Saturday, July 5, claimed the life of a Tuscaloosa woman. Racquel Taylor, 31, was killed when the 2004 Honda Odyssey van, in which she was a passenger, left the roadway and overturned. Taylor was not wearing a seat belt. Another passenger, who was not wearing a seat belt, suffered life-threatening injuries and was transported to DCH. The driver and another passenger, who were wearing seat belts, suffered minor injuries and were treated and released from DCH. The crash occurred at 5:35 a.m. on Interstate 59 (southbound) at the 80 mile marker, three miles north of Tuscaloosa. Nothing further is available as Alabama State Troopers continue to investigate

EVERGREEN POST – A single-vehicle crash Saturday, July 5, claimed the life of an Atmore man. William Harrelson, 33, was killed when the 2007 Chevy Trailblazer he was driving left the roadway, struck a tree and caught fire. The crash occurred at 12:15 a.m. on Butler Street. Harrelson was not wearing a seat belt. Nothing further is available as Alabama State Troopers continue to investigate.

During this holiday period, Trooper enforcement activities included 1,837 citations for speeding, 466 citations for seat belt/child restraint violations and 68 DUI arrests. In addition, troopers assisted 242 motorists.