By DON FLETCHER
News Staff Writer
An Atmore man was killed Friday, November 21, when the pickup in which he was a passenger was struck broadside by another vehicle.
Alabama State Troopers reported that 34-year-old Jacob Oryan “Jake” Bailey, lost his life as a result of the violent collision, which occurred around 1:30 p.m. on U.S. 31, at its intersection with 21st Avenue.
Trooper reports indicate that the pickup, a 1997 Dodge Ram driven by Mathiew Norman Wilson, 58, was struck on its passenger side by a 2000 Ford Excursion Limited when Wilson attempted to make a left turn onto 21st Avenue.
The Ford was driven by Phenix Nicole Crews, 18, of Atmore. She was not injured.
The impact crumpled the passenger’s side of the Dodge, and firefighters had to cut the truck’s door off to get the injured man out. Traffic was shut down on U.S. 31 while troopers conducted the preliminary investigation into the fatal mishap.
Bailey, son of William Sr. and Cheryl Bailey, leaves behind his wife, Liesl, and three children, as well as a brother, Billy.
He was remembered as a fun-loving man who took care of his immediate and extended family.
“Jake was very kind and loved his family very much,” said a relative who asked not to be identified. “Jake was shy in his own way, but a joy to be around and a very good ‘uncle’ to my children because their biological father wasn’t very involved.”
Tom Daw posted on Facebook that, “Jake had a heart of gold; he will be missed,” and Felicia Rayborn added that he “was a good person with an awesome sense of humor.”
A full obituary is published on http://atmorenews.com/2020/11/19/obituaries-week-of-november-22-2020/
State troopers continued their investigation into the fatal crash.