One dead, four injured in crash

A Flomaton man was killed and four others were transported to the hospital in a head-on collision last Wednesday afternoon on Highway 31 about five miles west of Flomaton, near the 51 mile marker.

Calvin L. 'Meatball' Johnson, 68, of Flomaton was killed in the Jan. 19 crash about 5:15 p.m.

Reports note that Johnson's 2004 Honda SUV veered into the path of a 2003 pickup truck driven by Brian T. Grant of Atmore. Grant and three passengers, ages 11, 7 and 2 were transported by helicopters to Pensacola hospitals. Johnson was pronounced dead at the scene.

Flomaton Fire Chief Steve Stanton said the use of seatbelts and a child restraint seat by the Grant family prevented more deaths in the crash.

"One thing was the car seat in the truck which was installed correctly and the child was strapped in correctly," Stanton said. "If it had not been, it would probably have been a fatality. Thank God both the child and the seat were strapped in like they were supposed to be. I've seen so many car seats not put in right."

Following the crash, Brian Grant, Allison Grant, 11, Gracelynn Grant, 7, and Emma Grant, 2, were flown to Pensacola hospitals. The Flomaton Fire Department set up a landing zone in the parking lot of Hurricane Park to transport the victims once they arrived by ambulance.

Heather Driver, Brian Grant's sister-in-law, said Wednesday morning Brian and Allison remain in the hospital following surgeries but both are expected to make full recoveries.

Gracelynn and Emma have both been released from the hospital.

Driver said Emma suffered some bumps and bruises mainly from the straps on the seatbelts and child restraint seat, but otherwise was OK.

Driver agreed with Stanton that seatbelts and the child restraint seat saved lives last Wednesday.

Stanton said it took the fire department about 20 minutes to extricate Brian and the children from the vehicle, noting it was the first time the fire department used the new wireless jaws of life which was donated to the fire department by County Commissioner Scottie Stewart and CSX.

Stanton said once the injured were freed from the wreckage, the jaws were used to free Johnson's body from his vehicle.

The crash is being investigated by the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency's highway patrol division.

The funeral for Johnson will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 29 at Pilgrim Lodge Baptist Church in Century. Burial will be held at Bethany Cemetery in Burnt Corn, located in Monroe County.

A walk thru viewing will be held from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, Jan. 28, at Turner Funeral Chapel in Atmore.