By Jennifer R. Hill
Two women were killed in a two-vehicle collision at the intersection of Clyde Mabry Drive and U.S. 31 late Wednesday morning.
The crash happened just before noon near the Limestone County Health Department located on Clyde Mabry Drive. The Health Department was holding a flu vaccination clinic at the time.
A 2005 gray Chevy Malibu was pulling out from Clyde Mabry Drive to travel northbound on U.S. 31 when a southbound 2008 gold Kia Sorento, driven by Bethena Bynum, 44, of Ardmore, impacted the driver’s side of the Malibu, said Sgt. Frank Murphy of Athens Police Department, who was on the scene.
The 56-year-old driver and 82-year-old passenger of the Malibu were pronounced dead at the scene, Murphy said.
“The gray car rolled and the SUV hit it every time it rolled,” said a health department worker who witnessed the accident who wished to remain anonymous. Other health department workers at the scene speculated that the two women in the Malibu had just left the flu clinic.
Bynum was taken to Huntsville Hospital by MedFlight, said Fire Prevention Chief Tony Kirk at the scene. Huntsville Hospital public relation officials said Bynum was in good condition and was to be released Wednesday afternoon.
Limestone County Coroner Mike West said at mid-afternoon Wednesday he could not release the names of those killed because some family members were not yet notified. He did confirm the victims were a mother and daughter from Athens.
“They died instantly,” said West. “There were seat belts in use and airbags deployed, but there was just so much intrusion that no one could have survived.”
