A Rainbow City man was killed during the early morning hours of Monday when the vehicle that he was driving collided with an 18-wheeler on I-59 in Etowah County.
According to a news release from the Alabama State Troopers Post at Jacksonville, Santos Reves – age 26, was driving north in the southbound lanes of the interstate when he crashed into the 18-wheeler head-on at the Pleasant Valley overpass near mile marker 178.
Etowah County Deputy Coroner Michael Head said authorities received a call reporting reckless driving on the interstate, shortly before the crash. Reves’ Volkswagen Jetta reportedly traveled a distance of almost 300 feet from the point of impact before finally coming to rest in the median – with Reves being killed in the collision; the driver of the truck escaped injury.
According to information in the news release Reves was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the accident, and alcohol may have been a factor.
The accident remains under investigation by state troopers.
Another wreck occurred in the wake of that initial crash, when a police car at the scene was rear-ended by another car that was unable to stop, due to oil on the roadway – that car was then struck by yet another vehicle attempting to stop.
The police officer was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.
(al.com)
