A head-on crash on US 43 south of Mount Vernon left a Chatom man dead and derailed the NFL dreams of a Mobile native headed for the draft.
According to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, Charles A. Dunn, 55, was driving a 2014 Dodge Charger on US 43 around 7:55 p.m. Sunday when it collided head-on with a 2019 Chevrolet Impala. A third vehicle, a 2008 Nissan Maxima, then struck Dunn’s car in the aftermath. Dunn, who was not wearing a seat belt, was pronounced dead at the scene.
NFL Prospect Among the Injured
The driver of the Impala was identified as Michael Antonio Jefferson, 23, a Mobile native and Murphy High School graduate who was projected as a likely mid-round pick in that month’s NFL Draft. His agent told ESPN’s Adam Schefter that Jefferson was undergoing multiple surgeries after the wreck.
Jefferson caught on at Louisiana after three seasons at Alabama State, and had been preparing for the draft, which was set for April 27 in Kansas City.
Investigation Continues
ALEA’s Highway Patrol Division said its investigation into the crash remained ongoing. The collision marked one of the region’s deadliest spring wrecks, claiming the life of the Washington County man and leaving the young receiver’s football future suddenly uncertain.