Foley police are still trying to track down the owner of a runaway cable spool that went airborne during a violent storm and slammed into three occupied vehicles on the Foley Beach Express, damaging cars but leaving everyone inside unharmed.
The roughly 12-foot-tall, 200-pound metal spool was sent tumbling by winds estimated at 50 mph or higher during a powerful storm system that swept through the area. According to Foley Police Capt. David White, the spool rolled out of control and struck three vehicles that were stopped at the intersection of the Foley Beach Express and County Road 20.
The same storm system caused far more serious consequences elsewhere in the region that day, generating hurricane-force gusts that capsized boats participating in the Dauphin Island Regatta in Mobile Bay. White noted the storm was destructive all over the county as well as Mobile County, underscoring just how severe the weather event was across South Alabama that weekend.
Dramatic video of the spool crashing through traffic quickly circulated online after it was captured on a cellphone by Troy Frady, a charter fishing captain based in Orange Beach. Frady told local media he grew concerned the spool was heading straight for him as he sat in his vehicle, so he began recording as it rolled toward the line of cars at more than 30 mph.
Investigators have not been able to determine where the spool came from or who owns it. Foley Mayor John Koniar said he reviewed footage of the incident but could not identify its origin, though he expressed confidence it would not be too difficult to eventually track down the responsible party, noting that most contractors are careful to secure equipment and post warning barricades specifically to avoid liability.
White said the spool likely would not have moved at all if it had simply been laid on its side rather than left standing upright, and that securing it with straps or stakes would have prevented it from becoming a hazard. Investigators followed up with Riviera Utilities, the regions electric provider, but a company spokesman said the spool was not associated with any of their crews and that no employees had been working near County Road 20 around the time of the storm.
Police say they have not ruled out any possibilities as they continue trying to identify the spools owner, noting that unsecured equipment becoming a road hazard during high winds is an occasional but serious problem, especially along a well-traveled corridor like the Foley Beach Express that connects Highway 59 traffic to the beaches.
No citations or charges had been announced as of this report, and authorities say the investigation remains open while they work to identify who was responsible for leaving the spool unsecured.