A pre-dawn crash on Interstate 65 near Flomaton left one man dead after the pickup truck he was riding in left the roadway and rolled over, according to Alabama State Troopers.
The crash happened around 4:15 a.m. Saturday when a 2010 Ford F250 drifted off the interstate about 14 miles northwest of Flomaton in Escambia County, troopers said. The passenger, 29, was not wearing a seat belt at the time and was ejected from the vehicle during the rollover. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
The driver, also 29, was taken to a local hospital for treatment of injuries sustained in the crash. Troopers have not released information on what caused the truck to leave the roadway, and the investigation remains open.
The stretch of I-65 near Flomaton sits along a heavily traveled corridor connecting South Alabama to the Florida Panhandle, and state troopers routinely patrol the area given its mix of long-haul truck traffic and late-night travel.
Alabama Law Enforcement Agency officials continue to stress the importance of seat belt use in preventing fatalities during rollover crashes, noting that ejection significantly increases the likelihood of serious injury or death in single-vehicle wrecks.
No further details about the circumstances leading up to the crash had been released as of this week. Troopers say the investigation into the exact cause remains ongoing.