Columbiana police investigate fatality
Published 12:00 am Friday, October 4, 2002
Columbiana police are investigating a fatal accident which occurred on Shelby County Highway 28 (Ferry Road) between Lynn Drive and Beacon Road in Columbiana on Friday, Sept. 20.
Columbiana Police Chief Michael Lann said the case remains under investigation and that his department is &uot;looking into the possibility that alcohol may have been involved.&uot;
&uot;All information will be turned over to the Shelby County District Attorney for presentation to a grand jury,&uot; Lann said.
According to Lann, the accident occurred at about 10:30 p.m. on Sept. 20, but &uot;evidence of the accident lay unnoticed until the following morning when (Columbiana Police) officers found the vehicle in a deep ditch covered by foliage over the vehicle.&uot;
&uot;One white male victim, John Wood, 21, of Columbiana was pronounced dead at the (Shelby Baptist) hospital at about 11 a.m. Sunday morning.&uot;
He said death was most likely the result of injuries from the accident.
Lann said Wood was transported to Shelby Baptist Medical Center by RPS with assistance from Southeast Shelby Rescue.
He said another individual Charles Christopher Russell, 19, of Wilsonville was also involved in the accident.
He said Russell also received injuries that required treatment of a physician at Shelby Baptist