DOTHAN, Ala. – A head-on collision on the Ross Clark Circle near Planet Fitness claimed the life of an 80-year-old woman Wednesday morning. The crash occurred around 9 a.m., when the vehicle driven by Carole Hughes, from Grand Ridge, Florida, collided with an unmarked Dothan Police SUV.
Houston County Coroner Robert Byrd confirmed that Hughes was pronounced dead at the scene. The circumstances surrounding the crash are still under investigation, with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) leading the inquiry, a standard procedure when an officer is involved in an accident.
The driver of the Dothan Police SUV, a police officer, was trapped in the vehicle following the collision but was quickly transported to the hospital. According to Dothan Police Department (DPD), the officer suffered non-serious injuries and is expected to return to duty without restrictions.
The crash occurred in a stretch of the Ross Clark Circle where the speed limit is 50 miles per hour. Officials have not yet determined the cause of the accident, but ALEA has assured the public that the investigation will be thorough, although it may take three to six weeks to complete due to case load.
As the community mourns the loss of Hughes, authorities are continuing their efforts to determine the factors that led to the tragic incident.
