Additional information has now been released regarding the fatal accident occurring in Cherokee County last Thursday (July 7th) just outside of Gaylesville.

According to Public Information Officer Senior Trooper Brandon Bailey the crash has claimed the life of an 82 year old Dawson (Alabama) man. 

Billy W. Mitchell, was critically injured when a 2007 Ford Taurus that he was driving was hit by a 2014 Step Van cement mixer truck, driven by 23 year old Derek K. Smith of Guntersville.  Mitchell and Smith were both transported to Atrium Floyd Hospital in Rome, Georgia for treatment – where on Monday (July 11th), Mitchell succumbed to his injuries.  The passenger of the Ford Taurus, Billy J. Mitchell, 45 of Centre, was also injured, and transported to Atrium Floyd Hospital.

The crash occurred on Alabama 68 near Cherokee County 107 around two miles west of Gaylesville just after 1:00pm.  The cement truck rolled over onto its side coming to rest in a ditch, while the Ford wound up in a yard on the opposite side of the road.  That stretch of road was closed in both directions for several hours, as state troopers attempted to reconstruct the accident,  It was finally re-opened to traffic around 5:00 that afternoon.

No additional information is being released at this time – and the investigation is on-going.