Cullman Man Dies In I-65 Wreck

by Gail Crutchfield
The Cullman Times
Published on: 12.09.2005

One man was killed and another injured Thursday on a stretch of Interstate 65 that rescue workers call one of the deadliest in the county.

Cullman County Coroner Gary Murphree said Mark Steven Rockwell, 31, of Cullman died instantly in the wreck that happened around 12:57 p.m. just north of Exit 291 in Arkadelphia.

According to witnesses at the scene, Rockwell's Nissan truck was struck by Chevrolet truck that allegedly crossed the median. According to State Troopers, the driver of that truck was Darryl Miller, 51, of Wilmer. Both men were wearing their seat belts.

The accident remains under investigation, troopers said.

Truck driver Jimmie Vaughn of Olne, Ill., said he saw the wreck just after it happened.

"All I saw was the horse trailer in the ditch and the truck in the middle of the road," he said, referring to the trailer Miller was pulling. Rockwell's truck was off to the side of the road in an unrecognizable heap.

Timothy Conquergood, a Michigan truck driver who is also emergency medical technician, said he came upon the scene shortly after.

"They said they needed an EMT so I drove up here," he said.

Rockwell, he said, showed no signs of life. Miller appeared to have a concussion.

"He was shook up," Conquergood said. "He didn't even realize what had happened."

Arkadelphia and Good Hope Volunteer Fire departments responded to the scene.

David Scott, chief of the Good Hope unit, said the stretch of I-65 between Exits 291 and 318 is among the most dangerous in the county.

"This is slick as glass," Scott said, scooting his boot back and forth on the wet concrete surface of the interstate.

Along with the road surface, Scott included weather conditions and drivers not using caution when those conditions present themselves as factors in accidents occurring on that stretch of the interstate.

Northbound traffic was detoured down Alabama Highway 91 to Hanceville and then U.S. Highway 31 through Cullman. Troopers reported the northbound lane of the interstate was closed from 1:15 to 4:15 p.m.

Hanceville Police Chief Phillip Bray said the increased traffic caused no major problems in Hanceville. Sgt. Terry Gilliland with the Cullman Police Department said besides the increased traffic, no accidents were reported.

The Decatur trooper post reported around 20 accidents in its four-county coverage area on Thursday, with the majority being in Cullman County.

(Darryl Miller is my father....so needless to say, it's been a crazy week!)