Two Killed in Summerdale Crash After Car Hits Utility Pole on Alabama 59

SUMMERDALE, Ala. — Two people were killed in a single-vehicle Summerdale crash on Alabama 59 near Baldwin County Road 32, according to the town’s police chief.

The victims have not been identified. Police said they are working to reach the victims’ relatives before releasing their names.

Car struck utility pole

According to witnesses at the scene, the car left the roadway and struck a utility pole.

The impact knocked out electricity to a nearby gas station and restaurant, police said.

Authorities have not said how many people were in the vehicle, which direction it was traveling or what may have caused it to leave the road. The cause of the crash remains under investigation.

A key Baldwin County corridor

Alabama 59 is one of Baldwin County’s main north-south highways, running through the heart of the county and connecting communities including Robertsdale, Summerdale and Foley before reaching the Gulf Coast at Gulf Shores. The highway carries heavy local traffic as well as visitors bound for the beaches.

Summerdale sits along the highway between Robertsdale to the north and Foley to the south. Baldwin County has been one of Alabama’s fastest-growing counties in recent years, and that growth has brought more vehicles to Alabama 59 and the county roads that feed it. Local and state officials have repeatedly urged drivers along the corridor to slow down, stay focused and buckle up.

Notifying families comes first

Law enforcement agencies typically withhold the names of people killed in crashes until their next of kin have been notified in person or otherwise reached. The practice is meant to make sure relatives do not learn of a loved one’s death through news reports or social media. Once families have been notified, agencies generally release names and ages, and sometimes hometowns.

Community members are asked to be mindful of the families and to avoid sharing photos or unconfirmed details from the scene online.

Safety around downed lines and damaged poles

Crashes involving utility poles can leave power lines damaged or on the ground. Utility and safety officials offer general advice for anyone who comes upon such a scene:

• Assume any downed or low-hanging power line is energized and dangerous.
• Stay well away from the line and anything it is touching, including vehicles, fences and puddles.
• Call 911 to report the crash and the damaged lines.
• If a line falls on a vehicle you are in, stay inside unless there is a fire, and wait for help.
• Follow directions from police, firefighters and utility crews, and avoid driving over downed lines.

What we know

• Where: Alabama 59 near Baldwin County Road 32, Summerdale.
• What: A single-vehicle crash in which a car left the road and hit a utility pole, according to witnesses.
• Killed: Two people, whose names have not been released pending family notification.
• Other effects: A power outage at a nearby gas station and restaurant.
• Status: The cause is under investigation.

South AL News will update this story when authorities release the victims’ names or more information about what led to the crash.