Jefferson County, AL : 42 Year-old man died in fiery head-on crash with 18-wheeler on Interstate 459 in Hoover on Wednesday morning, December 9, 2015

A man driving the wrong way on Interstate 459 in Hoover was killed early this morning in a fiery crash with an 18-wheeler.

The Jefferson County Coroner's Office today identified the victim as Michael Gavin Johnstone Jr. He was 42, and lived in Birmingham.

The crash happened just before 1 a.m. on I-459 northbound just less than a mile before U.S. 31. Hoover police Capt. Gregg Rector said a tractor trailer was traveling northbound when it struck the wrong-way driver head-on. The wrong-way driver's vehicle was a 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe,he said.

The driver of the SUV was thrown from his vehicle and pronounced dead on the scene. "We believe that he was likely the only occupant of the SUV,'' Rector said.

The driver and only occupant of the 18 wheeler escaped from the cab of the truck before it burst into flames. He was taken to UAB Medical West in Hoover for treatment of non-life threatening injuries.

Authorities said it took several hours to extinguish the blaze. Because of the location on the interstate, firefighters had to shuttle water via a tanker truck from a hydrant on U.S. 31 to the crash site. They also had to use foam to help put out the blaze, said Hoover Fire Executive Officer Rusty Lowe.

Both vehicles were totally destroyed by fire and all northbound and southbound lanes of I-459 were shut down. Two lanes of I-459 south are now open. All lanes of I-459 north remain closed at this time and all traffic is being forced to exit at Alabama Highway 150 which is John Hawkins Parkway.

Rector said the 18-wheeler wasn't carrying any hazardous materials, but the fuel tank rupture has caused diesel fuel to be spilled onto the lanes of traffic.
The Hoover Fire Department, an ALDOT crew and Pro-Tow wrecker service continue to work to clean up the debris and diesel fuel in order to safely reopen the interstate.

All lanes reopened just before 9:30 a.m.

The driver of the 18-wheeler this afternoon was identified as Olatunbosun Shola Giwa, 42, from Houston. He was treated and released from UAB Medical West in Hoover. Giwa was driving a 2010 Freightliner Tractor owned by Legacy King Express in Texas.

Source :

Man, 42, driving wrong way on I-459 killed in fiery head-on crash with 18-wheeler