Six-year-old dies in two-vehicle crash on US 431 in Sardis
A 6-year-old child died early Tuesday at Children's Hospital after being injured in a two-vehicle crash on U.S. Highway 431 in Sardis, according to Sardis City Police Chief Will Alexander.
The child's father was driving a Honda Civic on U.S. 431 when he stopped and got out to remove debris in the roadway, according to the chief. The car was struck from behind by a truck and the child was either partially or fully ejected, Alexander said.
He was taken to Marshall Medical Center South in Boaz, then flown to Children's in Birmingham, where he died at about 2 a.m.
Sardis police continue to investigate the crash. From what they have learned so far, Alexander said, the child was one of three in the back seat of the car. He had been restrained, police were told, but when his father stopped the car and got out, he let himself out of his car or booster seat.
Alexander said he understands the child who died was the only one injured in the crash. The boy and his father live in the Sardis area, he said.
The crash occurred in the passing lane of U.S. 431 southbound, the chief said, between Barry's Barbecue and Wade Cahela's Tax Service. He said police don't know what the debris was in the road; they found a bag of garbage in the area, but had heard there might have been a piece of metal that the driver had run over.
Initially police were told the truck's driver didn't see the car — "It's really dark along there," Alexander said — and hit it. The chief said he'd heard from a motorist this morning who told him that he'd been driving in front of the truck, that he didn't see the car at first but was able to swerve and avoid it.
The truck behind him could not, that driver told the chief.
Alexander said an investigation into the incident continues.
Contact Gadsden Times reporter Donna Thornton at 256-393-3284 or donna.thornton@gadsdentimes.com.
This article originally appeared on The Gadsden Times: Sardis crash claims the life of child
