Special to the News
A two-vessel crash that occurred at approximately 7:03 a.m. Wednesday, April 16, has claimed the life of an Altoona man.
Joey M. Broom, 58, was fatally injured when the Center Console vessel he was onboard was struck by a Nitro Bass Boat.
Broom was pronounced deceased at the scene. The crash occurred near the Miller Flats area of Smith Lake in Cullman County.
The crash also resulted in multiple injuries, and on Wednesday afternoon troopers with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency Marine Patrol Division were still on the scene investigating.
Later Wednesday, ALEA provided a press update reporting that two more individuals had been recovered from Smith Lake.
John K. Clark; 44, of Cullman; and Jeffrey C. Little; 62, of Brandon, Miss.; who were both onboard the Center Console vessel involved in Wednesday morning’s crash, were thrown overboard during the incident. Both individuals drowned and have been pronounced deceased. However, their bodies were recovered near the Miller Flats area of Smith Lake in Cullman County.
The following agencies responded to the scene and were still assisting Wednesday afternoon: the Cullman County Sheriff’s Office, Cullman County Emergency Management Agency, Cullman County Dive Team, Cullman County Coroner’s Office, Cullman County Emergency Medical Services, Crane Hill Fire Department, Breman Fire Department, Cold Springs Fire Department, Logan Fire and Rescue, Jones Chapel Fire and Rescue, and Alabama Fire Marshal’s Office, along with troopers with ALEA Marine Patrol Division.
ALEA requested that individuals avoid the immediate crash area as investigators, along with other first responders, continued to process the scene Wednesday afternoon.
