A 53-year-old Sylacauga man died Sunday evening after the side-by-side ATV he was driving left a rural Talladega County road and overturned, according to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. Carey L. Thomas was pronounced dead at the scene, while his 44-year-old passenger, Lashonski A. Edwards of Lineville, was hospitalized for treatment.
Senior Trooper Brandon Bailey of ALEA's Jacksonville Post reported that the crash happened at approximately 6:50 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 11, on Rocky Mount Church Road near Valley Road, about three miles east of Sylacauga, as detailed by The Trussville Tribune. Thomas was driving a 2024 Polaris RZR when it left the roadway and flipped, according to WBMA. Edwards was transported to Coosa Valley Medical Center in Sylacauga, where he received treatment.
ALEA's Highway Patrol Division troopers are investigating the crash, per the WBMA report, though the cause of the rollover has not been publicly detailed.
Why the Vehicle Wasn't Supposed to Be on the Road
Utility task vehicles and side-by-sides like the Polaris RZR are generally prohibited from operating on public streets, roads, or highways except for limited agricultural or government uses, according to Bama Buggies. Road-use standards for these vehicles include equipment such as turn signals, mirrors, and brake lights. Alabama Department of Revenue Administrative Code Rule 810-5-1-.238 further specifies that off-highway vehicles, including UTVs and ATVs, cannot be titled or registered for street-legal motor vehicle use in the state — meaning owners can voluntarily record ownership with ALEA, but that step does not grant roadway driving privileges.
The vehicle involved in Sunday's crash was a Polaris RZR.
A Pattern of Deadly Rollovers Across the State
A Pattern of Deadly Rollovers Across the State Sunday's crash echoes a fatal rollover involving a side-by-side just over a year earlier. In August 2025, two adults were killed and seven children were injured when a side-by-side rolled over at Indian Mountain ATV Park in Cherokee County, per the Associated Press. Around Labor Day 2025, ALEA issued a public safety advisory and reported crash statistics, recommending helmets and protective equipment.
According to the Alabama Department of Transportation's 2024 Crash Facts report, cited by Safe Home Alabama, 967 people were killed and more than 36,600 were injured in motor vehicle collisions on Alabama roadways during 2024. ALEA's investigation into Sunday's crash on Rocky Mount Church Road remains ongoing, and no further details about the circumstances of the rollover have been released.
