By Scott Buttram
CLAY –Springville police chief Bill Lyle confirmed that police in his city had pursued Frankie Lane Fenley, 42, of Springville who was identified by media sources as the victim in a fatal crash early Wednesday morning north of Clay.
Lyle said his officers answered a call from a female seeking assistance and Fenley was identified as a person of interest. During the call, Fenley passed the officer who then pursued his vehicle, but the officer terminated the pursuit on Zuber Road where the crash later occurred just inside Jefferson County.
“We knew who he was and knew he would turn back up, so we ended the pursuit,” Lyle said. “Jefferson County notified us later about the wreck.”
Lyle said the call for assistance originally went to the St. Clair County sheriff’s office because the female wasn’t sure where she was. Argo police tried to locate her, but were unable to find her and then Springville police were contacted.
“Our officers found her in the Clayton Road-Village Springs Road area, but she originally thought she might be on Old Springville Road when she called,” Lyle said.
Officers transported the female to their office in Springville to meet St. Clair County deputies.
According to a statement from the Jefferson County sheriff’s office, speed was a contributing factor in the crash.
“At about 4:30 this morning deputies were called to investigate a traffic accident on Zuber Road at Clayton Road north of Clay,” Jefferson County Chief Deputy Randy Christian said in the statement. “A passerby had discovered a wrecked Toyota pickup off the road against a tree.”
When deputies arrived on the scene, they found Fenley unresponsive inside the cab of the truck. Paramedics responded and the driver was pronounced dead on the scene, according to the report.
According to Christian’s statement, the investigation indicates the truck was traveling north on Zuber Road at a high rate of speed, lost control and struck a tree.