Local News
Victims killed in predawn Jefferson County crash identified
JEFFERSON COUNTY, AL — A tragic single-vehicle crash early Sunday morning in northern Jefferson County claimed the lives of two teenagers and left six others injured, prompting an outpouring of grief and support across the community.
The Jefferson County Coroner’s Office on Monday identified the victims as Treylen Anderson Floyd, 18, and Tristan Drake Cox, 19.
Both young men were recent graduates of Corner High School, where they were known as student-athletes and active members of their school community.
According to the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to the scene of the crash at approximately 2:58 a.m. on Mt. Olive Road near Partridge Loop.
The vehicle, a pickup truck carrying eight teenagers, had veered off the roadway and struck a utility pole.
Floyd and Cox were pronounced dead at the scene at 3:24 a.m.
The remaining six occupants—one male and five females, all between the ages of 16 and 19—were transported to UAB Hospital with injuries that, according to investigators, are not believed to be life-threatening.
The sheriff’s office reported that the preliminary investigation indicates the crash was a single-vehicle incident involving a loss of control, causing the truck to leave the road and impact the pole.
Authorities have not released further details regarding the cause of the crash, and the investigation remains ongoing.
In the aftermath of the tragedy, the community has come together in mourning. Tributes and prayers for the victims and their families have flooded social media.
New Bethel Baptist Church shared on Facebook,
“Please join us in prayer for the families of the young people from Corner who were tragically killed and injured in an automobile accident early this morning. Our hearts go out to everyone affected by this immense loss. May God’s comfort and peace surround them during this incredibly difficult time.”
On Sunday evening, HighPoint Community Church opened its sanctuary to the public, offering a space for collective prayer and reflection for the families and the broader community impacted by the loss.
Gardendale Mayor Stan Hogeland also expressed his condolences, writing,
“My heart breaks for the families of the kids and the entire Corner community. Please pray for all involved. I can’t imagine the pain.”
Support services and grief counseling are expected to be made available to students and families in the coming days as the Corner community grapples with the devastating loss of two of its young members.
UPDATE: Search efforts have been suspended following the sinking of the commercial fishing vessel Lily Jean off the coast of Gloucester, Massachusetts, marking another tragic loss for the city’s historic fishing community.
The U.S. Coast Guard was alerted early Friday morning by the vessel’s emergency beacon after it activated in the water; no mayday call was received.
Responders located a debris field, an unoccupied life raft, and one deceased individual in the water.
Six other crew members remain missing and are presumed lost after an extensive air and sea search yielded no additional results.
The Coast Guard cited frigid water temperatures, challenging weather conditions, and the vast search area in its decision to suspend operations.
GLOUCESTER, Mass. — Authorities have identified all seven individuals who lost their lives after the commercial fishing vessel Lily Jean sank approximately 25 miles off Cape Ann, Massachusetts, early Friday morning, marking a devastating loss for Gloucester’s historic fishing community.
The Lily Jean, a commercial fishing vessel measuring between 72 and 80 feet in length and homeported in Gloucester—the nation’s oldest working fishing port—activated its emergency position-indicating radio beacon (EPIRB) at approximately 6:50 a.m. Friday while returning to port.
No mayday call was received, and subsequent attempts to contact the vessel were unsuccessful.
The U.S. Coast Guard immediately launched a large-scale search and rescue operation, deploying an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter and multiple surface assets to the area of the distress signal.
Crews located a debris field and an unoccupied life raft roughly 25 miles offshore near the EPIRB activation site, confirming the vessel had sunk to the ocean floor. One deceased individual was recovered from the water.
The remaining six crew members were later presumed lost after extensive search efforts yielded no additional results.
Officials confirmed that seven people were aboard the vessel at the time of the incident, revising earlier reports that indicated six.
The seven individuals who perished aboard the Lily Jean are:
- John Paul Rousanidis, 33, of Salem/Peabody, Massachusetts
- Sean Therrien, 44, of Lynn/Peabody, Massachusetts
- Freeman Short, of the Marshfield/Scituate area
- Captain Gus Sanfilippo, a well-known and respected Gloucester fisherman
- Paul Beal Sr., deckhand
- Paul Beal Jr., deckhand and son of Paul Beal Sr.
- Jada Samitt, 22, of Virginia
Jada Samitt, the seventh crew member identified, was serving aboard the vessel in the role of a federal fisheries observer with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). She had recently relocated to Massachusetts to pursue her passion for environmental biology, graduating last year. Family members said joining the Lily Jean crew was her first major professional role at sea and a lifelong dream.
Her aunt, Heather Michaels, described Samitt as a compassionate and driven young woman who deeply respected her captain and dedicated herself fully to her work. “She put her heart and soul into this opportunity,” family members said, noting her commitment to marine conservation and the fishing community.
Officials said the Lily Jean had reported taking on water shortly before contact was lost.
The vessel is now presumed fully submerged.
The tragedy has sent shockwaves through Gloucester’s close-knit maritime community.
Ashley Sullivan, a local business owner who knew the vessel’s owner, emphasized the daily risks faced by commercial fishermen. “I hope people really take a moment to understand the sacrifices these men and women make to put food on our tables,” she said. “This is heartbreaking.”
Massachusetts State Senator Bruce Tarr also expressed condolences, highlighting Gloucester’s deep fishing heritage. “Gloucester has a long fishing history, and that history includes tragic loss,” Tarr said. “It appears we are experiencing another of those painful chapters.”
Governor Maura Healey released a statement saying she was “heartbroken over the devastating news out of Gloucester,” adding that her administration has offered full assistance to local officials and the Coast Guard. She extended prayers to the victims’ families and the broader fishing community across Cape Ann and the Commonwealth.
Community members and local businesses have continued to share messages of remembrance and solidarity. Taylor Hunt, a relative of Freeman Short, posted a tribute honoring the crew, writing in part: “The salt has been in our blood for generations… A man is not lost while the sea remembers his name. Fair winds and following seas.”
The Lily Jean had previously been featured on the History Channel series Nor’Easter Men, which documented the dangers and demands of New England’s commercial fishing industry.
While search operations have concluded, the Coast Guard and relevant agencies continue to review the circumstances surrounding the sinking. Officials have stated that further updates will be released as additional information becomes available.
Authorities have urged the public to keep the victims’ families and Gloucester’s fishing community in their thoughts and prayers during this period of profound loss.