Troopers with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) Highway Patrol Division and local emergency medical services responded at approximately 6:50 p.m. on Sunday, October 11, following reports of an off-road vehicle accident on Rocky Mount Church Road near Valley Road, roughly three miles east of Sylacauga. According to official reports released by state troopers, Carey L. Thomas, 53, of Sylacauga, was operating a 2024 Polaris RZR when the utility terrain vehicle left the roadway and overturned. First responders located Thomas at the scene, where he was pronounced deceased from fatal injuries sustained in the rollover. A passenger in the vehicle, 44-year-old Lashonski A. Edwards of Lineville, Alabama, suffered injuries in the crash and was transported by paramedics to Coosa Valley Medical Center for treatment.
Troopers with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) Highway Patrol Division and local emergency medical services responded at approximately 6:50 p.m. on Sunday, October 11, following reports of an off-road vehicle accident on Rocky Mount Church Road near Valley Road, roughly three miles east of Sylacauga. According to official reports released by state troopers, Carey L. Thomas, 53, of Sylacauga, was operating a 2024 Polaris RZR when the utility terrain vehicle left the roadway and overturned. First responders located Thomas at the scene, where he was pronounced deceased from fatal injuries sustained in the rollover. A passenger in the vehicle, 44-year-old Lashonski A. Edwards of Lineville, Alabama, suffered injuries in the crash and was transported by paramedics to Coosa Valley Medical Center for treatment.
Alabama Law Enforcement Agency Investigation
Troopers with ALEA’s Highway Patrol Division secured the crash site on Rocky Mount Church Road to gather physical evidence, examine vehicle mechanics, and reconstruct the sequence of events. State law enforcement officials confirmed that an active investigation remains ongoing to determine the specific contributing factors and roadway conditions leading up to the vehicle veering off the road.
Community Tributes and Condolences
News of Thomas’s passing at age 53 has brought profound sorrow to his family, friends, and residents across Talladega and Clay counties. Community members continue to offer prayers and support to his loved ones and extend wishes for a full recovery to Edwards. Formal announcements regarding visitation hours, celebration-of-life services, and memorial arrangements will be released by family representatives and local funeral directors once finalized.
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