By By Adam Prestridge
Rescue workers in Atmore were busy the past couple of days responding to several accidents.
The latest occurred Monday morning around 9:49 a.m. when the 1996 Chevrolet Lumina 86-year-old Ruth Marshall was driving was struck and overturned. According to eyewitnesses, Marshall was traveling north on Main Street and was turning onto Craig Street going west when she pulled in front of a 2002 Windstar van driven by Mobile's Marvis Tutor, which struck her car between the front and rear passenger doors. The impact of the accident caused Marshall's car to flip over onto its rooftop.
Atmore Police Department and Atmore Fire &Rescue Department responded to the accident. Fire personnel had to free Marshall from the overturned car. Atmore Ambulance transported her to Atmore Community Hospital where she was treated for her injuries. Atmore Ambulance also transported the passenger of the van to ACH.
Both vehicles were towed to David's Paint and Body. Marshall's car was totaled in the accident.
An early morning accident also occurred Monday morning on Interstate 65 where at least six people were injured. Fog has been blamed for the four-car pileup, which forced Alabama State Troopers to close a 30-mile stretch of interstate for three hours.
The accident occurred around 1 a.m. in the southbound lanes near Perdido around the 43-mile marker. Traffic was stopped at exit 54 known as the Poarch Band of Creek Indians Reservation exit in Atmore.
Two of the people injured in the accident were struck after they stepped out of their car to help another victim, officials said. Joseph Teems and Robert Teems, both of Ooltewah, Tenn. were struck by a vehicle. Four others injured in the wreck were identified as Samala Essex, 27, of Bessemer; Brandon Cowden, 30, of Mount Carmel, Tenn; Geoffrey Schroeder, 20 of Montgomery and Anna Putnam, 18, of Denham Springs, La.
Poarch Creek Volunteer firemen, along with assistance from Atmore Fire &Rescue and Atmore Police Department, also responded to a late afternoon wreck on Hwy. 21 on Nov. 10 near Diamond Gasoline's corporate office involving an 18-wheeler. Life Flight transported the victim of the accident.