By DON FLETCHER
News Staff Writer
Alabama Law Enforcement Agency officials finally released last Wednesday, February 14, a statement on a two-vehicle crash that happened late Monday morning, February 12, and claimed the life of an 87-year-old local man.
According to Alabama State Trooper reports, the fatal crash occurred at approximately 10:50 a.m. on Jack Springs Road, near where the county traffic artery crosses over Interstate 65, about three miles north of Atmore.
Reports show that Ellis E. Lee, 87, a member of Poarch Band of Creek Indians and a lifelong resident of the PBCI reservation, was fatally injured when the 2019 Chevrolet Suburban he was driving was struck by a 2014 Kenworth tractor-trailer.
Ellis could regularly be seen walking his canine companion, Toby, in the Poarch area. According to reports, both were killed instantly in the collision. The driver of the Kenworth, 56-year-old Patrick M. Bankester of Bay Minette, was not seriously injured.
No further information was provided as troopers continued their investigation into the fatal collision.
Lee was a veteran of the U.S. Air Force who worked several years with the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville. He is survived by a daughter, Catherine Schmidt of Setauket, N.Y., six grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
A memorial service was held Monday, February 19, at First Pentecostal Church of McCullough.