5 collide, burn, US 31 five miles south of Decatur, AL– all 6

lornajarrettblanchard February 23, 1965

–6 Assoc. Pr. “State Accident Kills Truck Driver, Five.” The Anniston Star, AL. 2-23-1965, p1.
–6 UPI. “Six Die Flaming Death in Truck-Car Collision.” Cullman Times, AL. 2-24-1965, p. 1.

Narrative Information

Feb 23: “Decatur (AP) – A Birmingham truck driver, Freddie Gerald Waters, and five other persons, including four children, were killed today in a blazing car-truck crash on U.S. 31, five miles south of Decatur. Identifies of the other victims have not been established, but the children are estimated to range in age from one to five years old. The trailer truck, transporting a shipment of steel, was owned by Alabama Freight Lines of Tarrant City. An eye-witness in the accident said ‘it looked like an explosion’ as the truck and car were side-by-side, crossing a bridge spanning Flint Creek.” (Associated Press. “State Accident Kills Truck Driver, Five.” The Anniston Star, AL. 2-23-1965, p.1.)

Feb 24: “Decatur, ALA., (UPI) – A tractor-trailer rig loaded with 28-tons of steel crashed with a car on a narrow bridge Tuesday and exploded, killing six persons including a mother and her four daughters.

“The State Troopers post said one vehicle was attempting to pass the other in a no-passing zone on U. S. 31 four miles south of here when the truck and car hooked together and went crashing off the bridge into Flint Creek 25 feet below.

“The truck exploded causing a fire that burned the car’s five occupants and the truck’s driver beyond recognition. The wreckage was so mangled and charred it took more than two hours to free the bodies, and more than five hours to completely identify all victims.

“The car’s occupants were identified as Mrs. Doris Nell Walters, 27, Hartselle 4, and her four daughters, Robin Walters, 13 months; Deborah Crenshaw, 11; Kathy Crenshaw, 9; and Cindy Crenshaw, 10. The three Crenshaw children were Mrs. Walter’s by a previous marriage.

“The truck driver was identified as Freddie Gerald Waters, 24, of 233 McCormick Ave., Birmingham….

“Waters was driving 56,000 pounds of steel beams for Alabama Freight Line, Tarrant, to Davis, Construction Co. of Decatur, Morgan County Coroner Lewis Brown said. As Waters neared his destination at approximately 7:30 a.m. The truck and car met on the narrow bridge at the foot of Hartselle Mountain. The vehicles touched, hooked to each other and plummeted down the 25-foot embankment into Flint Creek which was just two feet high. The truck and its tons of steel landed on the car and exploded from either gasoline or friction, State Troopers said.

“Mrs. Walters was driving the older children to school and them planned to go bowling, taking little Robin with her, state troopers said. ‘We found the bowling ball in the car,’ a trooper said.

“Waters, the truck driver, had worked for Alabama Freight Line only a week and a day. He had worked as a truck driver for another firm previously.” (United Press International. “Six Die Flaming Death in Truck-Car Collision.” Cullman Times, AL. 2-24-1965, p. 1.)

Sources

Associated Press. “State Accident Kills Truck Driver, Five.” The Anniston Star, AL. 2-23-1965, p.1. Accessed 6-7-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/anniston-star-feb-23-1965-p-1/

United Press International. “Six Die Flaming Death in Truck-Car Collision.” Cullman Times, AL. 2-24-1965, p. 1. Accessed 6-10-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/cullman-times-democrat-feb-24-1965-p-1/