Wreck claims life of OES 4th grader; grandmother also seriously injured

Published 2:12 am Tuesday, October 16, 2018

The Opp Police Department and the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency Traffic Homicide Investigation Troopers are still investigating a traffic collision that claimed the life of a child Friday.

Opp Elementary School fourth-grader Joenee Star Martin, 10, died at the scene. She was a passenger in a Ford Windstar van driven by her grandmother, Carolyn Coon, that was westbound on Cool Springs Road attempting to cross the Opp bypass when it collided with a Toyota Highlander occupied by one person.

Coon suffered major injuries and was transported to a regional hospital by helicopter. Her current condition is unknown.

The driver of the Toyota was transported to the Mizell Memorial Hospital Emergency Room and only sustained minor injuries, and OPD Chief Michael McDonald said that he should make a quick recovery.

“We are still working with ALEA to figure this out,” McDonald said Monday. “We are having them map it, but it is still currently under investigation.”

Martin was the daughter of Alex and Kanhia Martin, and the granddaughter of Carolyn Coon, Nellie Sullivan, Edward Coon, and George Kendrick. Funeral services are planned at 2 p.m. today, Tuesday, Oct. 16, at Faith Deliverance Apostolic Church with the Rev. Randy Breedlove and the Rev. Nathaniel Belcher officiating. Interment will be at Paxton Cemetery.