Separate wrecks claim 2
Man, 62, and girl, 16, are third, fourth to die in two days

By Bernie Delinski & Tom Smith
Of the TimesDaily


Published: Friday, March 27, 2009 at 3:30 a.m.
Last Modified: Thursday, March 26, 2009 at 11:04 p.m.
A Franklin County teenager and a Lauderdale County man became the third and fourth persons to die in wrecks in the area in a two-day period.

Danny Lee Montgomery, 62, Lauderdale 10, was pronounced dead at the scene Thursday by Lauderdale Coroner Andy High after Montgomery's vehicle left the road and struck a tree on the Natchez Trace Parkway between Lauderdale 8 and Lauderdale 10. The wreck was reported at 9:20 a.m., said George Grabryan, director of the Lauderdale County Emergency Management Agency.

Chelsey Briana Hacker, 16, 4744 Franklin 23, Vina, died in a wreck that happened one-half mile north of Vina on Blue Creek Road. She was pronounced dead at the scene at 5:45 p.m. by Franklin Coroner Elzie Malone.

A passenger in Hacker's vehicle, 14-year-old Chris Sellers, was slightly injured, officials said.

Family members said Montgomery may have died before the impact occurred because he was in the late stages of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig's disease. His son-in-law, Clayton Mitchell, said emergency workers told them they believe Montgomery succumbed to the fatal disease while driving.

"They feel like he passed away before the accident," Mitchell said.

"Apparently, he died at the wheel and then had the accident."

Mitchell said his father-in-law had suffered for a long time from the disease.

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