Single-car accident kills GHS student
Published 12:00 am Thursday, January 26, 2006
A pair of car accidents over the weekend left one Greenville High School student dead and another critically injured, according to police and Alabama State Troopers.
Greenville police said Lewis Daniel Spann, 16, was killed when he was ejected from a 2002 Ford Mustang driven by Justin Reeves, also 16, on Airport Road at approximately 9:24 p.m. on Friday.
In a separate accident on Saturday, Dustin Peterson, 17, and Jason Peterson, 19, were both injured in a two-car crash on County Road 50. Troopers said a 1991 Buick, driven by the teenagers' father, James Peterson, collided with another vehicle driven by Conrad Griffin, Jr. of Montgomery at 12:32 p.m.
The cause of the accident is still under investigation, according to the Alabama Department of Public Safety.
Dustin was carried to USA Medical Center, where he is listed as being in stable condition.
GHS Principal Dr. Kathy Murphy said she spoke with James Peterson on Monday, who told her his son suffered injuries to his face and head during the accident. His other son, Jason had minor injuries.
“From what I understand Dustin is looking at a pretty long road of recovery,” she said. “We continue to pray for him.”
Police said Friday's accident happened when the driver swerved to avoid a deer and lost control of the vehicle on the wet roadway. Lt. Garry Martin said Reeves told him he jerked the wheel of the car upon seeing the deer and the vehicle then went airborne, hitting a light pole and coming to rest in a ditch near Century Steps Inc. Both Reeves and Spann were ejected through the passenger side window, said Martin.
Reeves received minor injuries, was treated and later released from L.V. Stabler Memorial Hospital. Spann was pronounced dead after being transported to the hospital.
“He was a nice young man, never caused us a day of trouble,” said Kathy Murphy, principal of Greenville High School where Spann played on the baseball team. “He was just a good kid. Our baseball team served as pallbearers and we have a number of students who were out Monday and I'm going to assume that was directly related to his death.”
Martin said neither the driver nor passenger was wearing seatbelts.
Spann is survived by his parents, Malinda and Daniel Spann of Greenville; two brothers, Jonathon and Shane Spann; grandmother, Joyce Oswald of Greenville; grandfather, Edward “Slim” Spann of Greenville; and grandparents, Pat and Steven Mears of Blountstown, Fla.