BY SARAH STEPHENS, OWNER/EDITOR
Since word has spread about a horrible vehicle accident in the early morning of New Year’s Day on Rifle Range Road, we have had several requests for more information, or for ways to help the families involved.
At this point, the wreck is still under investigation by the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency who issued the following release:
From Trooper Benjamin “Michael” Carswell
Troop D Recruiter/ Public Information Officer
“MONTGOMERY POST – A single-vehicle crash at 2:28 a.m. Jan. 1, has claimed three lives and injured one person. Ladarious Antonio Griffin, 25, of Montgomery was killed when the 1997 Lexus ES300 he was driving left the roadway, struck a tree and overturned. Two passengers in the Lexus were killed: Charnavia Lashay Hinkle, 22, of Montgomery and Lamisha Nicole Avera, 22, of Wetumpka.
All three deceased occupants were not wearing seatbelts.
The only survivor was a passenger, who was using a seatbelt. The passenger was injured and transported to a local hospital for treatment. The crash occurred on Rifle Range Road near Peace Church Road, approximately five miles east of Wetumpka. Nothing further is available as ALEA State Troopers continue to investigate.”
I have reached out to family members, and if we learn of any type of fundraiser or other way to help during this time, we will share that information with you.
As a reporter I have learned to almost dread holidays, at least where work is concerned. I rode with the Millbrook Police Department on New Year’s Eve into the early morning hours of New Year’s Day. When I finally headed home, I had not yet heard about this accident, and I was hopeful that other than multiple arrests, traffic tickets and complaints about fireworks/gunfire, that everyone in our area made it home safely.
I send my sincere thoughts and prayers out to all of the families involved, and the loved ones.
I also want you to remember the first responders who were at this scene. Most of us will never have to be up close and personal to anything so awful. What they see day in and day out is something that is hard to wrap the mind around, to be honest.
The stress over what they endure impacts them in many ways that all too often they will not speak of, and that can be dangerous.
So, my prayers go out to them as well, and I know our area will wrap their arms and love around these families after this horrific loss.
As I write this, Troopers have not released a suspected cause of the accident. More information about that could come out in the near future.
But for now, I am begging you to wear your seat belt. I know there will be someone that says sometimes people die because they were wearing a seat belt. That is true, and I have seen it in extremely rare occasions.
But statistically, you are safer with one than without. The sole survivor of this accident was wearing one.
Sarah Stephens is the Founder of the Elmore/Autauga News. She can be reached by email at editorsarah@yahoo.com.
