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By NOAH WORTHAM | Managing Editor

CALERA – On Wednesday, April 9, Shelby County Coroner Lina Evans identified Lakisha Franklin, age 49 of Perry, Florida, as the decedent in the recent vehicular accident on Interstate 65 in Calera.

According to the Calera Police Department, one fatality was reported to have occurred after an accident took place involving an 18-wheeler and a passenger car on Interstate 65 on April 7.

At 8:20 p.m., Calera officers responded to the scene of an accident on I-65 northbound near mile marker 227 involving an 18-wheeler and a passenger car. At least two individuals were involved in the collision with one deceased at the scene and the second seriously injured.

Paramedics responded to the scene and provided aid to the injured. The Calera Police Department reopened the northbound lane of I-65 at 9:30 p.m.

Alabama State Troopers then arrived and took over the investigation and shut down both northbound lanes and the Shelby County coroner was called to the scene. The State Traffic Homicide Team treated the area as a crime scene due to the possibility of criminal charges and civil action.

On Tuesday, April 8, the Calera Police Department released an official statement on the incident due to the nature of the accident and calls that were received from residents.

“We did not provide updates because we did not have any,” Calera Chief of Police David Hyche said. “Our dispatcher was flooded with angry calls—many by the same callers—until about 12:30 a.m. which hindered our ability to take and respond to both routine and emergency calls.”

Hyche said he understands the frustration and hardship of being stranded in traffic for an extended period of time with no information and said that he would have been frustrated too.

“I just wanted to make this post to explain how traffic homicide investigations work and that I cannot provide updates on an investigation being conducted by another agency,” Hyche said.

Hyche also expressed his condolences to the family which lost a loved one.

“I also want to send my prayers and condolences to the family that lost their loved one last night,” Hyche said.

The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency is continuing to investigate the accident.