Local News
62-Year-Old Douglas Emge Killed in Small Plane Crash in DeKalb County, Alabama
DEKALB COUNTY, Ala. — A 62-year-old man was killed Wednesday morning after a small aircraft crashed in a field in the Whiton community of DeKalb County, Alabama, authorities said.
The victim was identified as Douglas Emge, 62, of Whiton. Emergency crews responded to the crash along County Road 3, where the single-engine aircraft came down behind the Whitton water tank.
According to the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office, emergency personnel were dispatched to the area following reports of the aircraft crash. DeKalb County Emergency Management Agency Director Michael Posey confirmed that one person died in the incident.
An FAA spokesperson said a Van’s RV-4 crashed in a field near Albertville at approximately 6:50 a.m. The aircraft had only one person aboard, and Emge was the pilot.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will lead the investigation into the crash, with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) also participating. Investigators will work to determine what caused the aircraft to go down.
Officials have not released a cause of the crash, and the investigation remains ongoing. Additional information is expected as investigators examine the aircraft, crash site and other available evidence.
The City of Albertville issued a statement mourning Emge, describing him as a longtime and prominent member of the Albertville Regional Airport community.
According to the city, Doug Emge was the face of Albertville Regional Airport for more than 30 years and was the founder and sole owner of Albertville Aviation, which operated the airport’s fixed-base operator, or FBO.
The city said Emge was known for helping pilots, flight crews and passengers who arrived at the airport, providing assistance with fuel, rental cars, lodging and recommendations in the community.
Albertville officials also described Emge as a Marine veteran, pilot, husband, father and grandfather. The city extended its condolences to his wife, Stacy, his family and the staff and colleagues at Albertville Regional Airport.
The City of Albertville said Emge’s contributions to the airport, the city and the wider Sand Mountain community would not soon be forgotten.
Emergency crews and investigators remained at the scene as authorities continued their response.
Officials asked members of the public to avoid the area while emergency personnel work at the crash site and the investigation gets underway.
The cause of the fatal DeKalb County plane crash remains under investigation by the NTSB and FAA.
TOMS RIVER, New Jersey — Two women were killed and another woman was seriously injured in a multi-vehicle crash on the Garden State Parkway in Toms River, according to the New Jersey State Police.
Authorities identified the deceased victims as Caryn J. Coon, 22, of Forked River, New Jersey, and Lauren J. Maturo, 32, of Syosset, New York. Both women sustained fatal injuries in the crash, which occurred at approximately 9:42 p.m. at milepost 87 on the northbound Garden State Parkway.
The New Jersey State Police confirmed the victims’ identities following the fatal collision.
According to police, a Genesis passenger vehicle had become disabled in the center lane of the northbound highway. A Freightliner tractor-trailer was stopped behind the disabled vehicle in the same lane.
Investigators said Coon was driving a Honda when her vehicle struck the rear of the Freightliner. Following the collision, the Honda left the roadway to the right and traveled down a grass embankment.
A second collision occurred when a Ford SUV, driven by Amanda K. McHenry, 32, of New York, New York, also struck the rear of the stopped tractor-trailer. Maturo was riding in the front passenger seat of the Ford SUV.
Coon and Maturo suffered fatal injuries in the crash.
McHenry sustained serious injuries and was transported to a nearby hospital for treatment, police said.
The driver of the Freightliner tractor-trailer sustained minor injuries. Authorities reported that no other injuries were reported at the scene.
The crash involved multiple vehicles and occurred on the northbound side of the Garden State Parkway near milepost 87 in Toms River.
The New Jersey State Police confirmed the identities of the two women who died in the collision. The information provided by authorities did not specify whether any citations had been issued or whether additional details about the cause of the crash had been determined.
The incident remains a tragic reminder of the dangers associated with disabled vehicles and stopped traffic on busy highways. Drivers traveling on major roadways are encouraged to remain alert, maintain a safe following distance, and watch for unexpected hazards.