Phenix City, AL : Smiths Station man dies in single-vehicle crash near Phenix City on Wednesday, February 1, 2017

A Smiths Station man died Wednesday after being involved in a single-vehicle crash that occurred near Phenix City.

Richard Clayton Short, 46, was killed when the 2016 Kia Optima he was driving left the road, struck a concrete drain pipe and overturned before catching fire.

The crash occurred at 9 p.m. in the 6000 block of Lee County 246, outside Phenix City.

Short was pronounced dead at the scene at 9:26 PM., according to Lee County Coroner Bill Harris.

"It is believed he died instantly from multiple blunt-force impact injuries," Harris said.

Smiths Station Volunteer Fire Dept., EAMC EMS and the Alabama State Troopers responded to the scene. Once the blaze was extinguished, Short was extricated from the vehicle. No other vehicles were involved, and Short was the only occupant of the vehicle.

The accident remains under investigation by the Lee County Coroner’s Office and the Alabama State Troopers of the ALEA. This was the first traffic fatality of 2017 for Lee County.

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Smiths Station man dies in single-vehicle crash near Phenix City