The Selma Times-Journal

Linda Lee Smith, 38, of Selma was killed in an accident Sunday that occurred at the intersection of Highways 219 and 14.

Smith was traveling northbound on state Highway 219 in her 1993 Cadillac Seville. As she passed through the intersection, she was t-boned by a 2005 F-150 truck, driven by Joseph Maury Johnson, who was traveling eastbound on state Highway 14, according to John Reese, Alabama State Trooper public information officer.

The accident occurred at 4:15 p.m. and Smith died at the scene.

Her passenger, Willie Washington, 53, was seriously injured and transported to Vaughan Regional Medical Center, where he was stabilized and then airlifted to UAB in Birmingham, according to Reese.

“Apparently she ran the stop sign,” said Reese, adding “we’ve had quite a few accidents at that intersection because of people failing to stop.”

The driver of the truck, Johnson, was not injured and able to give police an account of what happened. The accident remains under investigation, noted Reese.

Local resident Ricky Pendley arrived at the scene shortly after the collision. He could tell right away that it was serious.

“I realized the car had been severed in half. She (Smith) had been flung from the driver’s seat and her body was badly mutilated,” he said.

Pendley said he and others at the scene noticed an infant carrier and searched the area for any signs of a baby. Pendley indicated he believes the carrier was empty.

“We didn’t find anything, thank goodness,” he said.

Washington was bleeding profusely, but citizens at the scene were more worried about his internal injuries.

“We were concerned that he was going to drown in his own blood from the internal injuries,” he said.

Fortunately, however, Reese said he checked on Washington Monday morning and UAB has him listed in stable condition.