Garbage Truck Collision at Mary Ann Beach Road and Highway 98 Is Third in Baldwin County in Recent Months

BARNWELL, Ala. — A garbage truck was involved in a traffic collision Monday afternoon at the intersection of Mary Ann Beach Road and U.S. Highway 98 in Baldwin County’s Barnwell community, marking the third time in recent months that a garbage truck has been involved in a crash in the county. No injuries were reported, and the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency is investigating.

The crash happened during the afternoon hours of Monday, Oct. 5, 2026. Emergency responders from the Barnwell Fire Department, state troopers with ALEA and emergency medical services were dispatched to the intersection. The Baldwin County Emergency Management Agency was also notified of the crash.

Authorities have not released the names of the drivers involved, the company that operates the garbage truck, the number of vehicles involved or what caused the collision.

What we know about Monday’s Barnwell crash

• When: Afternoon of Monday, Oct. 5, 2026
• Where: Mary Ann Beach Road at U.S. Highway 98, Barnwell community, Baldwin County
• Vehicles: A garbage truck was involved; other vehicle details have not been released
• Injuries: None reported
• Responders: Barnwell Fire Department, Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) and EMS
• Also notified: Baldwin County Emergency Management Agency
• Investigating agency: ALEA

Because the crash happened on a U.S. highway in an unincorporated part of the county, the investigation falls to ALEA’s Highway Patrol Division, which handles traffic crashes outside city limits across Alabama. Troopers typically examine the scene, gather statements from drivers and witnesses and document vehicle positions and damage before determining contributing factors. ALEA had not released preliminary findings as of Tuesday.

Third garbage truck crash in recent months

Monday’s collision is the third time in recent months that a garbage truck has been involved in a traffic crash in Baldwin County, according to local reports.

The most serious of those incidents happened last month in Elberta, where a pedestrian was critically injured after being struck by a garbage truck. The victim was airlifted to a trauma center for treatment. Details about that person’s current condition have not been publicly updated.

Information about the other earlier collision has not been detailed in reports on Monday’s crash. Authorities have not suggested that the incidents are connected, and there is no indication that the same company or the same drivers were involved in all three. Each crash is being handled as a separate case.

Still, the string of crashes is likely to draw attention to how large service vehicles share the road with residential traffic in a fast-growing county. Garbage trucks make frequent stops, pull on and off the roadway and often operate on rural two-lane roads and busy highways alike, all of which can create risks for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians who are not paying close attention.

About the Barnwell community and the Highway 98 corridor

Barnwell is an unincorporated community in Baldwin County south of Fairhope, along the U.S. Highway 98 corridor on the Eastern Shore of Mobile Bay. The area is known for its mix of rural homes, small businesses and longtime local landmarks, including the Lucky Horseshoe Saloon, a Barnwell fixture for more than three decades.

U.S. Highway 98 is a key east-west route through southern Baldwin County, connecting the Eastern Shore communities with Magnolia Springs, Foley and points east. Mary Ann Beach Road branches off the highway in Barnwell and leads toward the bay.

Like much of Baldwin County, the area has seen growing traffic as the county’s population continues to rise. The county is consistently ranked among the fastest-growing in Alabama, and that growth has meant more residential trash pickups, more delivery and service vehicles and more cars on roads that were once primarily rural. Work on the Eastern Shore Trail extension past Fish River is also bringing more walkers and cyclists to the corridor.

The Barnwell Fire Department is one of the community fire departments that serve Baldwin County’s unincorporated areas, responding to fires, crashes and medical calls alongside EMS crews.

Sharing the road with garbage trucks: safety reminders

While investigators have not said what caused Monday’s collision, traffic safety agencies offer general guidance for driving and walking safely around garbage trucks and other large service vehicles:

• Give them room. Garbage trucks stop frequently and sometimes without much warning. Following too closely leaves little time to react.
• Watch for blind spots. Large trucks have significant blind spots on all four sides. If you cannot see the driver in the truck’s mirrors, the driver likely cannot see you.
• Pass with care. Pass only when it is legal and safe, and watch for workers who may step out from behind or beside the truck.
• Slow down near collection stops. Sanitation workers on foot are especially vulnerable to passing traffic.
• Be careful at intersections. Large trucks need extra space to turn and may swing wide. Do not try to squeeze past a truck that is turning.
• Pedestrians and cyclists should stay visible. Avoid walking or riding directly behind or beside a truck that is stopped or backing up, and make eye contact with the driver when possible.

Drivers are also reminded to put away phones and other distractions, especially on busy routes such as U.S. Highway 98, where traffic speeds, turning vehicles and side-road intersections combine to demand full attention.

What happens next

ALEA will complete its crash investigation, which generally results in a crash report that lists contributing factors and whether any citations were issued. Crash reports in Alabama can typically be requested by the people involved and their insurers once they are finalized.

No charges or citations have been announced in connection with Monday’s collision. Authorities have not said whether the garbage truck was operated by a private hauler or a public agency, or whether the crash disrupted trash collection in the area.

Southalnews will update this story if ALEA releases additional details about the cause of the crash or the vehicles involved.

What we don’t know yet

• What caused the collision and whether any citations were issued.
• How many vehicles were involved and who was driving them.
• Which company or agency operates the garbage truck.
• Whether traffic on U.S. Highway 98 was delayed and for how long.
• Additional details about the earlier garbage truck crashes in the county, including the current condition of the pedestrian injured in Elberta.

Anyone who witnessed Monday’s crash at Mary Ann Beach Road and U.S. Highway 98 can contact ALEA’s Highway Patrol Division.