HOOVER, Ala. (WBRC) – UPDATE: The passenger in a vehicle that was struck by an SUV driving the wrong way on Interstate 65 has been identified by the Shelby County Coroner.
Parul Jani, 55, of Hoover, was pronounced dead at UAB Hospital after being taken from the scene of the accident.
The driver of the SUV that struck Jani’s Camry that was hit while crossing Interstate 65 on foot, 44-year-old Roger Maurice Jones, of Hoover, later died of his injuries at UAB Hospital as well.
Captain Keith Czeskleba with hoover pd said they are stiill working to figure out what exectly happened and why.
“Our traffic investigators are still doing everything they can to piece together back to gather and determine what led the driver of the expedition ending up on the wrong side of Valleydale road and then what led to him deciding to get out of his vehicle and run up onto the interstate.”
A witness told us a lot of people stopped to help after this crash.
One group even prayed for the victims.
There is currently no update on the condition of the driver of the Camry, Jani’s husband Nitinchandra Jani.
Mrs. Jani worked at Oak Mountain High School for nearly two decades while Mr. Jani has been with the school since 2014.
Principal Andrew Gunn released the following statement:
We are saddened by the devastating news of the passing of our dear colleague and friend, Parul Jani. Mrs. Jani worked at Oak Mountain High School for 18 years, and her impact on our school community was immeasurable. Her warmth, dedication, and unwavering commitment to our students and staff made her an integral part of our Oak Mountain family.
This tragic accident has left us all in shock and mourning. Our thoughts and prayers go out to her husband, Nitinchandra, and their 3 children. We hope for his swift recovery and that he finds strength in the presence of his family during this difficult time.
Original story: The Hoover Police Department is working to investigate after two related crashes on Valleydale Road and on Interstate 65 southbound.
The initial crash on Monday evening occurred on Valleydale Road at the I-65 overpass. According to initial investigations, the driver of a Ford Expedition was driving the wrong way on the southbound lanes when they had a head-on collision with a Toyota Camry.
The driver of the Expedition then fled the scene and attempted to cross I-65 southbound lanes on foot when he was hit by a Mitsubishi Outlander. The driver of the Outlander remained on the scene of the crash.
Medics took the driver of the Expedition to UAB where he is reported to have life-threatening injuries.
Both the driver and passenger of the Camry were also taken to the hospital. The passenger of the Camry, an adult female, was pronounced dead upon arrival to UAB and the driver is being treated for serious injuries.
Hoover PD said that while traffic investigators are working to investigate, drivers should expect travel delays.
We will continue to update this story as more information becomes available.
Get news alerts in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store or subscribe to our email newsletter here.
Copyright 2023 WBRC. All rights reserved.
Victim in Valleydale Road crash identified as long-time Oak Mountain High School employee – WBRC
