Police investigate body found in Gordon Terry Parkway ditch

Eric Fleischauer, The Decatur Daily, Ala.
·1 min read

Jul. 18—Decatur police responded this morning to a report of a dead body in a ditch off Gordon Terry Parkway about five hours after they had responded to a one-vehicle wreck nearby.

Eastbound lanes of Gordon Terry were closed for hours this morning and early afternoon as police investigated the scene, an investigation that includes determining whether the earlier one-vehicle wreck that had resulted in a driving under the influence charge caused the fatality.

Police at 1:54 a.m. today responded to the wreck at Gordon Terry Parkway and McEntire Lane. They determined the driver left the roadway and hit a guardrail. The driver was arrested and charged with DUI, according to police spokesperson Irene Cardenas-Martinez.

At 7:09 a.m. officers were dispatched to the 2500 block of Gordon Terry Parkway after receiving the report about a body in a ditch.

Preliminary investigations suggest the deceased person had been struck by a vehicle, Cardenas-Martinez said.

She said it is unclear if the two incidents are connected, but the the Traffic Homicide Unit continues to investigate.

Police have not released the names of the person charged with DUI or of the decedent.

— eric@decaturdaily.com or 256-340-2435. Twitter @DD_Fleischauer.