A Saturday evening drive ended in tragedy for 50-year-old Marcus James Shields after his Ram pickup truck left the roadway, struck a ditch and overturned in Lawrence County, Alabama. Shields was ejected from the vehicle and died at the scene.
The crash occurred around 5:50 p.m. on Lawrence County Road 460 near Lawrence County Road 23, about 13 miles west of Moulton, according to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency.
Authorities said Shields, a resident of Mount Hope, was behind the wheel of the Ram pickup when it ran off the road. The truck struck a ditch before rolling over.
Shields was not wearing a seat belt, according to state troopers. During the rollover, he was thrown from the pickup, leaving him fatally injured.
First responders pronounced him dead at the scene. He was 50 years old.
The crash raised questions about what caused the pickup to leave the roadway in the first place. However, authorities have not released an explanation for what happened before the truck struck the ditch.
The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency is handling the investigation. Troopers have not announced any additional findings or provided further details about the moments leading up to the wreck.
The reported crash area is near the intersection of Lawrence County Roads 460 and 23, roughly 13 miles west of Moulton. The precise location has not been publicly confirmed.
The investigation remains ongoing as authorities work to determine the circumstances surrounding the deadly rollover.