From The Tribune staff reports
BESSEMER — An 18-wheeler driver was arrested after driving under the influence and wrecking into a truck in west Jefferson County on Saturday night, Oct. 7.
Wreck at Bluff Ridge Road caused by drunk 18-wheeler driver (Credit: Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office)
Jefferson County Sheriff’s deputies arrested Rodney DeWayne Gildersleeve, 47, for driving under the influence of alcohol.
The 18-wheeler Gildersleeve was operating was traveling north in the southbound lane of Bluff Ridge Road. Gildersleeve’s truck struck a pickup truck traveling in the southbound lane. The pickup was driven by a 30-year-old female. She was transported to a local hospital with serious injuries.
Also occupying the vehicle was a 30-year-old female passenger and the driver’s two small children: a 2-year-old male and a 4-year-old female. The children were buckled into child safety seats. Both were transported to Children’s Hospital where they were treated and released. The adult female passenger was not injured in the crash.
Rodney DeWayne Gildersleeve is being held in the Jefferson County Jail in Bessemer on charges of driving under the influence of alcohol, assault first degree and obstruction of governmental operations.
Gildersleeve has no bond set at this time.
The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Traffic Accident Reconstruction Team is conducting the investigation into the circumstances surrounding this crash.
