21-Year-Old Man Dies After Cement Truck Overturns and Catches Fire on Kushla McLeod Road
State troopers closed all lanes of Kushla McLeod Road near U.S. 45 after a commercial vehicle crash around 12:20 p.m. Wednesday. A witness said the truck flipped and burned.
A 21-year-old man died after a cement truck overturned and caught fire on Kushla McLeod Road in Mobile County on Wednesday afternoon.
What Happened
First responders were called to the scene on Kushla McLeod Road, just west of Highway 45, following a crash involving a commercial motor vehicle.
A witness said the cement truck flipped over and caught fire in the incident. A 21-year-old male died in the fire.
The Initial Report
The crash occurred around 12:20 p.m. Wednesday on Kushla McLeod Road near U.S. 45, according to an Alabama Law Enforcement Agency news release.
“All lanes of travel” on Kushla McLeod Road near U.S. 45 were closed until further notice, the release said. Troopers with ALEA’s Highway Patrol Division responded to the scene to investigate.
Why the Closure Was Extended
A crash involving a loaded cement truck presents complications beyond a typical passenger-vehicle wreck. A concrete mixer carries a heavy, shifting load high in the vehicle, which raises its center of gravity and makes rollover a persistent risk — and it makes recovery of the vehicle a significant operation once one has occurred.
When fire is involved, the roadway surface itself frequently requires assessment before reopening, and investigators need the scene undisturbed while they document evidence. Together, those factors routinely turn a commercial vehicle crash into a closure measured in hours rather than minutes.
The Investigation
Troopers with ALEA’s Highway Patrol Division are handling the investigation. The agency did not release the identity of the man who died in the initial reports, and the cause of the crash had not been determined.
Commercial vehicle fatality investigations typically involve examination of the vehicle’s mechanical condition, the driver’s hours of service, roadway conditions and any available witness accounts. Those inquiries take considerably longer than the scene response itself.
Kushla McLeod Road
Kushla McLeod Road runs through north Mobile County near the U.S. 45 corridor, an area that carries significant commercial traffic serving industrial and construction activity in that part of the county.
A Developing Story
ALEA characterized the matter as ongoing at the time of the initial reports. South Alabama News will report additional details as the agency releases them, including the identity of the victim once next of kin have been notified.
Update: Family Hires Law Firm to Pursue a Wrongful Death Claim
Greene & Phillips Attorneys at Law announced Friday that it has been hired to investigate and file a wrongful death lawsuit on behalf of the parents of Jeriah Roberts, the 21-year-old Eight Mile man who died in the crash.
According to the firm, Roberts was driving a 2023 Chevrolet Camaro that collided with a 2023 Mack concrete mixer truck near Highway 45.
“Our community lost a beloved son and brother due to a completely preventable crash,” said David Greene, founding partner at Greene & Phillips. “Our firm will take all measures necessary to investigate this crash and bring about measures to prevent tragedies like this from happening in the future.”
Greene said the crash could have been preventable and asked anyone with information, video or witness accounts related to the crash to contact the firm.
No suit had been filed as of Friday. No specific allegations of fault have been made public, and the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency’s investigation into the cause of the crash remains active. Roberts’ family has asked for privacy.
Additional Detail on the Crash Sequence
ALEA said the crash happened just before noon Wednesday. After the initial impact, the agency said, the concrete truck left the roadway and overturned. Roberts’ Camaro also left the roadway and caught fire. Roberts was pronounced dead at the scene.
The driver of the concrete truck was injured and taken to a Mobile hospital for treatment. Mobile County EMS confirmed that two ambulances, including one staffed with a critical care paramedic, responded to the scene.
A witness in the area said she saw both vehicles in a ditch, with smoke rising from a crushed vehicle as first responders worked.
“The truck was smooshed. It was on fire and it was something you don’t ever want to see,” the witness said.
Radio traffic captured after first responders arrived described a chaotic scene, with crews requesting additional help and confirming the vehicle was still burning. ALEA has not released a cause of the crash or said whether charges are expected.
