Happy New Year! ::

We're wishing everyone a safe and Happy New Year, but it's starting off badly for some on Hwy 431 this evening. I was coming back from town just a very short while ago and there is a very bad accident in the southbound lanes of 431 just south of the New Hope stop light at Oak Grove Road. Traffic is being routed over to the northbound lanes so the back-up is pretty bad and the rescue squad is involved. Not a good sign!

I turn right onto Oak Grove to get home and luckily I was able to make the turn. I initially thought that I would have to go back to New Hope and take the long way around.

[update]

Sadly,1 teenager was killed in the crash. From this morning's Huntsville Times:

A teenager is dead and five others are in the hospital tonight after a two-car accident in New Hope.

The boy, whose name was not immediately available, died at the scene of the 6 p.m. wreck at U.S. 431 and Oakgrove Road.

John Walling, 17, a passenger in the vehicle, was taken by MedFlight to Huntsville Hospital with potentially life-threatening injuries, said HEMSI Chief Operations Officer Don Webster.

The backseat passenger, 15-year-old Briana Nelson, was taken by HEMSI to Huntsville Hospital for Women and Children. The two passengers were both from New Hope, Webster said.

Three people in the other vehicle, a Ford F250, were also taken to Huntsville Hospital. Vickie Gray, 41, and her two children -- 7-year-old Jericka and 9-year-old Jadia -- all suffered from non-life-threatening injuries.

There was immediate word on the cause of the accident.