Accident claims life of Chelsea student

Published 12:00 am Wednesday, November 10, 2004

High School students in Shelby County found themselves dealing with grief over the tragic loss of a classmate for the second time in three days last week.

Miranda Kayton Madison, 17, of Chelsea was fatally injured as a passenger in a 1994 Buick Skylark driven by another 17-year-old from Chelsea on Tuesday Nov. 2, according to Alabama State Troopers and Shelby County school officials.

According to troopers, the three-vehicle accident occurred at 2:50 p.m. on U.S. Highway 280 one mile west of Chelsea.

The driver of the vehicle was also injured and transported to Children’s Hospital. Madison was transported to UAB Hospital.

Others involved in the accident, but not injured troopers reported, were Darryl Hyde, 32, of Birmingham who was listed as the driver a 2002 Chevy S-10 pickup truck and Arturo Valdez, 33, of Sterrett who was in a 2003 Nissan Ventura.

The accident, which claimed the life of Madison was the second since an Oct. 31 Halloween night accident claimed the life of a 16-year-old Pelham High School student.

Madison, a senior at Chelsea High, was the daughter of Angela Madison, guidance counselor for Creek View Elementary in Alabaster, according to Cindy Warner, public relations supervisor for Shelby County Schools.

Warner said Madison was in the vehicle driven by her boyfriend and that the vehicle hydroplaned on Highway 280.

&uot;The teachers expressed that (Madison) was a well-liked student … very bright … an honor student … talented vocalist.&uot;

She said Madison had also been an All-State vocalist.

Warner said once again grief counselors were brought in from the Amelia Center, a part of Children’s Hospital.

And she said students and faculty went by to see them as they felt the need.

Warner called the death of Madison a &uot;double tragedy&uot; because her mother is an employee of the school system.

She also noted the closeness of the death of Madison to that of a Pelham student.

She said the death made it hard for students who had never experienced grief before and for those who had, it &uot;opened fresh wounds.&uot;

The accident remains under investigation by troopers