Deadly Citronelle car crash: Witness recalls incident — ‘it was a bad scene’
UPDATE (10:09 p.m.): We are now hearing from officials with the Citronelle Fire and Rescue Department and a witness who lives on Odom Road, where the wreck happened.
Captain Chazz Stringer with the Citronelle Fire and Rescue Department explained how the car involved in Friday’s deadly crash became severely damaged.
“Based off of the marks on the vehicle or on the roadway, it appears that the vehicle left the roadway, went into a ditch and hit a culvert to where the vehicle then went airborne and struck a tree and landed upside down on its roof,” Stringer explained.
Car debris still remained on the site of Odom Road Saturday afternoon.
A 15-year-old and his 36-year-old father, Christopher Tullos, were killed in the crash. The two other passengers were 17 and 27.
Stringer said the other two passengers were still in critical condition.
“One of them is still considered to be critical, from what I understand, the one that was transported by helicopter and the other one was critical, but in a stable condition,” he explained.
C.L. Byrd lives across the street from where the wreck happened.
He was at home when he heard a loud boom. He rushed outside and saw all the commotion.
“I was watching TV and sitting on the couch there, and I heard this bam noise that I’m familiar with because I’ve had heard several wrecks in this window,” Byrd recounted. “And each one of them, I had been out to look at and see what’s going on. Call for help.”
He said he’s lived in Citronelle for almost 45 years and noted that this wasn’t the first time he’s seen a deadly wreck occur on Odom Road.
“It was a bad scene,” he recounted. “That’s the most police and rescue people I’ve ever seen (responding to an) accident, and I’ve seen several accidents right here in this curve, several people killed right in this curve.”
Byrd hopes an accident like this will lead to a sign on the road alerting drivers of the sharp curve.
“I would have thought they would have known this curve and would not have let this happen because most people slow down at this curve,” he said. “But we do need some signs.”
But until that happens, community members are asking for prayers during this difficult time.
“We’re a very close community,” Chazz Stringer said. “And anytime there’s lives lost like this, and especially with the young age, it not only impacts the family and friends, but it impacts the community. You know, it’s always very unfortunate and unfortunately, we have been in this situation before.”
“I can feel for them because this is just messed up,” Byrd said. “Ain’t no telling how many families messed up, and it’s really sad. It’s so, so quick that I heard that bang and it took two lives right there. I mean, it’s hard to think about.”
UPDATE (8:10 p.m.): The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency has identified the victims of a deadly crash that occurred Friday night in Citronelle.
Christopher Daniel Tullos, 36, and a 15-year-old died when “the 2012 Audi A7 driven by Christopher Tullos left the roadway, struck an embankment and a culvert,” an ALEA news release said.
“After the initial collision, the Audi struck a tree and overturned. Tullos and the juvenile were pronounced deceased at the scene,” the release said.
“Passengers Chad Tylor Jones, 27, also of Citronelle, and a 17-year-old juvenile were transported to an area hospital for medical treatment.”
The crash occurred around 8:58 p.m. Friday on Odom Road near Mobile Street, in Citronelle city limits.
ALEA said the crash is still under investigation.
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CITRONELLE, Ala. (WKRG) — Two people are dead after a vehicle crash in Citronelle Friday night. A post from Citronelle Fire-Rescue says crews responded to a rollover crash on Odom Road at 9 Friday night. The post says the victims were trapped in the vehicle and crews worked extensively to free them.
Two people were flown to medical care. Two people were killed in the crash. The post does not say how many more were injured. A post from Citronelle Wildcat Football made late Friday night says “Asking you to lift up our football family and the ones affected by this tragedy tonight in our community.”
At this time no names have been released. When asked for more information the Citronelle Wildcat Football Facebook account responded with a message saying “we have lost a freshman football player and his father. A previous player is in critical condition.”
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Citronelle’s Fire Chief says four people were in the vehicle. Two died at the scene. The other two were taken to University Medical Center but they did not have an update on their condition.
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