By By Adam Prestridge
A fiery crash early Monday morning, which is being linked to a high-rate of speed, claimed the lives of two residents from nearby communities.
According to a release issued by the Alabama State Troopers Office, the driver and passenger of a 1993 Chevrolet Corvette were killed after the vehicle left the roadway and struck a power pole on Hwy. 31 north near the Atmore Country Club around 12:49 a.m.
Troopers were unable to release the names of the victims pending reports from the Alabama Department of Forensic Science in Mobile, but friends and family of the victims identified the two men as Darwin Eugene Robinson of Walnut Hill, Fla. and Keith Anderson of Brewton.
Several of Robinson's friends gathered in the lot at David's Paint &Body Monday afternoon shocked by the loss of their loved one and in awe of the wreckage that remained.
"He was a very fine guy," Atmore's Gregory McCants, who graduated in 1984 from Escambia County High School with Robinson, said.
Vincent Lambert, who was friends with Robinson for 15 years and graduated in 1980 from ECHS, also thought highly of Robinson. He described his fallen friend as a "family guy."
"He was very nice person," Lambert said. "He was always friendly and smiling. He cared about his kids and family. We used to joke about the way things used to be when we were still in school."
Lambert said he last spoke to Robinson about a month ago. He never thought it would be his last time to talk to his friend.
"It's one of those freak accidents," Lambert said. "If you don't pay attention to speed, nothing good is going to come out of it."
Troopers are unsure who the driver of the Corvette was, but eyewitnesses at the scene of the wreck and friends of Robinson, suspect Anderson was the driver of the vehicle. It is believed that Anderson was killed on impact. Life Flight transported Robinson to the USA Hospital in Mobile where he later passed away.
According to witnesses at the scene, when the Corvette struck the power pole, lines fell and crossed over the nearby railroad tracks. An approaching train had to be quickly stopped before it ran over the live wires. Also, several residents near the accident in Nokomis lost power for hours following the crash.
The accident is still under investigation by the Troopers Office.