MOBILE COUNTY, Ala. — A 94-year-old Coden man has died after a head-on collision between two pickup trucks Wednesday afternoon on Alabama 188, about a mile east of Bayou La Batre, according to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency.
State troopers identified the man as Hulen V. Owens. ALEA said Owens was critically injured in the Coden crash and was taken to University Hospital in Mobile, where he later died from his injuries.
The wreck is under investigation by troopers with ALEA’s Highway Patrol Division. The agency has not released any further information about what led to the collision.
What troopers have released
According to ALEA, the crash happened at about 2:37 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 23, on Alabama 188 near the 11 mile marker in south Mobile County.
Owens was driving a 2011 Chevrolet Silverado pickup. Troopers said the Silverado and a 2018 Ram 1500 pickup collided head-on. The Ram was being driven by Stephanie M. Lyons-Radcliff, 58, who is also from Coden.
ALEA’s release did not say whether Lyons-Radcliff was hurt, whether anyone else was in either truck, or how long the highway was affected. The agency also did not describe the circumstances that brought the two vehicles together, and troopers have not indicated that any charges are being considered. Those questions are typically addressed, if at all, as an investigation moves forward.
- When: About 2:37 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026
- Where: Alabama 188 near mile marker 11, roughly one mile east of Bayou La Batre in Mobile County
- Vehicles: A 2011 Chevrolet Silverado and a 2018 Ram 1500, both pickups
- Victim: Hulen V. Owens, 94, of Coden, who died at University Hospital in Mobile
- Other driver: Stephanie M. Lyons-Radcliff, 58, of Coden
- Investigating agency: ALEA Highway Patrol Division
A loss close to home
Both drivers were from Coden, a small, unincorporated fishing village that sits along the Mississippi Sound in the far southern part of Mobile County, just across the water from Dauphin Island. In a community that size, a fatal wreck on the main road through town is rarely a stranger’s tragedy.
Coden takes its name from Bayou Coden, an English rendering of the French name Coq d’Inde. In the late 1800s the area drew visitors to resort hotels along the water, but a powerful hurricane in 1906 wiped out that trade, and the community settled into its long-standing identity as a place built around fishing, shrimping, oystering and boatbuilding. Generations of families in Coden, Bayou La Batre and nearby Heron Bay have made their living on the water, and many residents have deep roots on both sides of the bayou.
Owens was 94 years old, meaning his life in the area likely spanned much of that modern history. ALEA’s release did not include additional biographical details, and no obituary had been published as of Saturday. South Alabama News extends its condolences to his family and friends.
About Alabama 188
Alabama 188 is the main east-west artery of coastal south Mobile County. The state highway runs nearly 20 miles, beginning at Interstate 10 in Grand Bay, briefly sharing pavement with U.S. 90, and then heading south and east through Bayou La Batre, Coden and Heron Bay before ending at Alabama 193 in Alabama Port, near the road that leads to the Dauphin Island Bridge.
The Alabama Department of Transportation maintains the route, which lies entirely within Mobile County. For residents of Coden and the surrounding communities, it is the everyday road to work, school, church, the grocery store and the docks. It also carries commercial traffic tied to the seafood industry and shipyards around Bayou La Batre, as well as visitors heading toward the coast and Dauphin Island.
The crash site near the 11 mile marker lies between Bayou La Batre and Coden. Like many rural state highways, much of Alabama 188 is a two-lane road, where opposing traffic is separated only by painted center lines.
Why the state is investigating
Because the crash happened on a state highway outside of municipal limits, it falls under the jurisdiction of the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. ALEA’s Highway Patrol Division is responsible for traffic enforcement and crash investigation on state and federal roadways in rural and unincorporated areas across Alabama, including large portions of south Mobile County that are not inside a city.
When a crash involves a death, troopers generally document the scene, examine the vehicles, interview drivers and witnesses and gather any other evidence available before completing an official crash report. That work can take weeks, and in more complex cases longer. ALEA typically releases the basic facts of fatal crashes, as it did here, while the more detailed findings are contained in the formal report.
No determination about the cause of Wednesday’s collision has been announced. As of Saturday, ALEA said only that its troopers were continuing to investigate, and it had nothing further to release.
Treated at the region’s trauma center
Owens was taken to University Hospital, the flagship hospital of USA Health, the academic health system of the University of South Alabama. Located in Mobile, University Hospital operates the region’s only Level I trauma center, the highest designation for trauma care, and it receives seriously injured patients from across southwest Alabama and parts of neighboring states.
Patients critically injured in crashes in south Mobile County are frequently transported there because of the specialized surgical and critical care teams on hand around the clock. Despite that care, ALEA said, Owens succumbed to his injuries.
Alabama’s roadway toll
Wednesday’s crash adds to a grim statewide total. According to figures released by state transportation officials, 967 people died on Alabama roads in 2024, down slightly from 975 in 2023. State officials have noted that while most crashes occur in urban areas, the majority of deaths happen on rural roads, where higher speeds and longer emergency response times can make crashes more deadly.
State data has also shown that nearly 60 percent of people killed on Alabama roadways were not wearing seat belts. ALEA has not said whether seat belts were in use by either driver in Wednesday’s crash, and there is no indication in the agency’s release about whether that was a factor.
Head-on collisions make up a relatively small share of all crashes nationally, but they are among the most dangerous, because the speeds of both vehicles combine at the moment of impact.
Safety reminders for two-lane highways
Crashes like Wednesday’s are a reminder of how quickly an ordinary afternoon drive can turn tragic. Without drawing any conclusion about this collision, traffic safety officials offer general advice for drivers on two-lane roads like Alabama 188:
- Buckle up every trip. Seat belts remain one of the most effective ways to survive a serious crash, and Alabama law requires their use.
- Put the phone down. Alabama law prohibits texting while driving, and even a few seconds of distraction on a narrow road can be enough to drift across a lane line.
- Keep right and watch the center line. Stay centered in your lane, especially on curves and near driveways where traffic enters the road.
- Pass only when it’s safe and legal. Respect no-passing zones and never pass when visibility of oncoming traffic is limited.
- Slow down in changing conditions. Rain, glare, and work or school traffic can reduce reaction time.
- Stay alert for slow or turning vehicles. Coastal roads carry farm, marine and commercial traffic along with residents and visitors.
Recent coverage along the corridor
South Mobile County’s roadways and rail crossings have seen several serious crashes this year. On Thursday, a day after the Alabama 188 collision, two people died when an Amtrak train struck their car at the Bellingrath Road crossing in Theodore, a separate incident being investigated by Mobile police.
For residents of Coden, Bayou La Batre, Grand Bay and Heron Bay, Alabama 188 will remain the road they travel every day. Anyone who witnessed Wednesday’s crash or has information that could help investigators may contact ALEA’s Highway Patrol Division.
What happens next
Troopers are expected to complete their crash report once their investigation is finished. ALEA has not indicated a timeline, and any additional findings would be released by the agency.
South Alabama News will update this story if ALEA releases more information about the crash.