Sand Mountain Reporter

Two men were killed and two were injured Thursday evening in a two-vehicle accident in the Horton community.

Gabriel Sebastian Roman, 20, and David Edward Charles, 19, both of Guntersville, were pronounced dead at the scene by Marshall County Coroner Marlon Killion. The men were passengers in a 1999 Chevrolet Malibu sedan driven by Wesley “Dane” Shirey.

Killion said Shirey and the driver of a John Deere tractor involved in the accident were slightly injured. Neither required treatment at area hospitals. The tractor driver’s name had not yet been released by police officials as of Friday morning.

Roman, originally from Gwinett County, Ga., was a member of the Snead State Community College cheerleading squad.

“It has been a tough morning,” said Snead State President Robert Exley. “It is just a tragic situation.

“Gabriel was outstanding young man. He was not only a student but also a cheerleader. He was an asset and an attribute to both the squad and the school,” Exley said.

According to Killion, Roman and Charles died from multiple blunt force trauma to the head and chest. Neither were reportedly wearing seat belts. Roman was a backseat passenger, while Charles was a front seat passenger. Air bags in the front deployed on both sides of the car.

Killion said a determination of whether or not Shirey was wearing a seat belt was unclear as he had exited the car and crossed the street following the accident. The tractor’s driver, Killion said, reportedly told him he “held on for dear life,” as the accident occurred.

The accident is still under investigation by Alabama State Troopers. A cause has not been determined and a spokesman for the troopers was unavailable Friday afternoon.

Volunteers from the Nixon Chapel and Douglas fire departments responded to the accident scene, Killion said.

Thursday’s accident made the 16th and 17th fatalities from a traffic accident in Marshall County in 2009, Killion said.

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Publisher: Ben Shurett

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