An Eight Mile woman was killed early Wednesday morning in a single-vehicle crash on U.S. Highway 45, according to a preliminary investigation released by Alabama State Troopers.
Troopers say Kasey Elizabeth Anderson, 29, of Eight Mile, was driving north on Highway 45 in a 2003 Nissan Xterra when the vehicle left the roadway and overturned before dawn. Anderson was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash and was ejected from the vehicle. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
A passenger in the vehicle, 28-year-old Marcus Gerald Ringer Jr. of Citronelle, was also injured in the crash. He was transported to University Hospital for treatment of injuries described as non-life-threatening.
Troopers have not released further details about what caused the vehicle to leave the roadway, and the investigation remains ongoing. Highway 45 is a heavily traveled two-lane route connecting Mobile County communities including Eight Mile and Citronelle, and predawn wrecks on rural stretches of the highway are a recurring concern for area law enforcement, who regularly urge drivers to wear seat belts and use caution during low-visibility hours.
Alabama law requires all front-seat occupants to wear a seat belt, and safety officials note that ejection during a rollover crash dramatically increases the risk of fatal injury, underscoring the importance of restraint use even on short, familiar drives.