Crime & Public Safety
Crime & Public Safety

Floyd County businessman, grandfather killed in Alabama wreck

James Harold Hillis Jr. died in a single-vehicle car wreck in Alabama on Saturday afternoon.

Credit: Rome News-Tribune / WAFF

Credit: Rome News-Tribune / WAFF

James Harold Hillis Jr. died in a single-vehicle car wreck in Alabama on Saturday afternoon.
By
July 2, 2019

A businessman and grandfather from Silver Creek was killed in a single-vehicle crash in Alabama over the weekend, according to several media reports.

James Harold Hillis Jr., 61, died after the 1999 Mack tractor-trailer he was driving ran off I-59 in DeKalb County, Ala., and struck a ditch before overturning and catching on fire, Huntsville, Ala.,-based news station WAFF reported.

The wreck happened Saturday just before 3:45 p.m. Hillis was pronounced dead by Alabama state troopers at the scene, the news station reported.

According to his obituary in the Rome News-Tribune, he was born at Fort Benning and attended the University of Arkansas. Hillis owned and operated Hillis Outdoor Specialist Inc. in Floyd County.

His funeral is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. Wednesday in Rome.

In other news:

Police have released bodycam video of??a dramatic police shooting that left a man dead in Athens.??The man, identified as 23-year-old Aaron Hong,??was killed and one officer was injured.??

About the Author

Zachary Hansen, a Georgia native, covers economic development and commercial real estate for the AJC. He's been with the newspaper since 2018 and enjoys diving into complex stories that affect people's lives.

Follow Zachary Hansen on facebookFollow Zachary Hansen on twitter
More Stories

The Latest

(Photo Illustration: Philip Robibero / AJC | Source: Getty, Unsplash)

Credit: Philip Robibero / AJC

Homicides down, police staffing up heading into Atlanta’s elections

Cobb mother gets 50 years in prison for toddler’s fentanyl death

Georgia judge resigns after Florida strip club arrest

Featured

Waymo autonomous vehicles operate across 65 square miles inside I-285 and have been involved in six incidents with Atlanta Public School buses since May. Waymo issued a recall because of their cars briefly stopping or slowing down before continuing forward while a bus was stopped and flashing its lights. (Courtesy of Atlanta Public Schools)

Credit: Courtesy of Atlanta Public Schools

Waymo cars ignored stopped school buses in Atlanta. What happens now?

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration opened an investigation. The autonomous vehicle company has issued a software recall.

Search for new MARTA chief hits snag

The search for a new leader for the regional transit authority is widely seen as one of the most important duties facing the Marta Board

Georgia high school coach choked player, put another in headlock, warrants say

The Greene County High coach was charged with two counts of aggravated assault and one count of simple battery, according to investigators.

1h ago