By By Adam Prestridge
A biker attempting to cross Hwy. 31 Monday night was struck by a car and rushed to Atmore Community Hospital.
According to a spokesperson for the Atmore Police Department, 46-year-old Michael McKenzie of Atmore received injuries following the accident in which Atmore's Gwendolyn Grimes hit him at the corner of Hwy. 31 and 2nd Avenue while he was riding his mountain bike at 5:20 p.m.
"I saw him crossing over the tracks," Carlanda Cooper, who was traveling behind Grimes, said at the scene of the accident. "The first car cleared, but he must have not seen the other car. He must have thought he had it, he must have thought there was only one lane."
Diamond Oil employee Chris Raines made the 911 call to the police department after witnessing McKenzie lying on the roadway.
"I was walking from behind the building and saw a guy laying in the middle of the road," Raines explained. "So I ran inside and called the police."
According to police reports, Grimes, 49, was traveling east bound in a 2002 Lincoln Town Car when she stated she saw a black male riding a bike southbound from the railroad track and ride down the hill into the roadway. That's when she said she hit him.
According to Cooper, McKenzie was thrown after being hit and was hit by a second car, a black Pontiac Grand AM.
"It happened so fast," Cooper said. "It scared me half to death. I couldn't believe it. The only thing I could think about was please don't let him be dead."
Ethan Smith, 16, of Atmore was at the Diamond Station across the street and witnessed the accident as well.
"The car on the inside stopped to let him go by," Smith said. "He waved at that car and another car hit him."
Kelley's Ambulance transported McKenzie to Atmore Community Hospital.
According to APD reports, McKenzie was at fault.