‘Excellent teacher,’ wife and child die in Alabama crash. Muscogee school mourns loss
Update
In an email Aug. 31 answering the Ledger-Enquirer’s questions, Phenix City Police Chief George Staudinger wrote, “We have determined the speed of the SUV to be 69 mph at time of impact. This was based upon data from Crash Data Recovery tools. We have lowered the estimated speed of the truck to 45 which is based upon multiple witness statements.
“We have shown the primary contributing circumstance of the accident as ‘unknown’ as we really have no tangible evidence to support the cause of the driver of the SUV striking the rear of the truck. The SUV was listed as the primary contributing unit of the crash. No contributing circumstance was listed for the tractor trailer.”
Original story
A Muscogee County School District teacher, his wife and one of his children were killed in a car crash Saturday night.
Jordan Vocational High School construction teacher Jimmy Napier Jr., 33, was in the front passenger seat of an SUV driven by his wife, Ami, 32, that rear-ended a semi-truck on Highway 80 East in Phenix City, near Garrett-Harrison Stadium, according to Russell County coroner Arthur Sumbry Jr.,
Both were pronounced dead on the scene at 6:12 p.m. The two rear passengers injured in the crash were their children. They were airlifted to an Atlanta hospital, one in critical condition and the other with serious injuries, Sumbry reported.
The 8-year-old, Hudson, died later that night, Sumbry told the Ledger-Enquirer in a text message. The other child is a 4-year-old, he said.
“I don’t think the truck driver had any serious injuries,” Sumbry said.
The coroner’s office and the Phenix City Police Department continue to investigate the accident, Sumbry said.
Phenix City Police Chief George Staudinger told the Ledger-Enquirer in an email Monday, “What we do know is that the Chevy Suburban driven by Mrs. Napier struck the rear of the tractor trailer at a significant rate of speed. Both vehicles were traveling in the left lane of US HWY 80 East.
“From witness statements and evidence collected at the scene, it does not appear that the actions by the driver of the tractor trailer contributed to the cause of the accident. . . . Our thoughts and prayers are with the Napier family and friends as they grieve this tragic loss of life. I also commend the actions of the first responders: police, fire and EMS that responded to this very difficult scene.”
Both parents weren’t wearing seat belts, Staudinger said, but both children were secured in the rear seat with appropriate child restraints for their age and size. The truck driver was wearing a seat belt, the police chief said.
Asked how fast the vehicles were traveling when they collided, Staudinger said, “From witness statements, the speed of the tractor trailer is estimated to be approximately 50 MPH. The speed of the SUV has yet to be determined.
“There were no skid marks or yaw marks left from the SUV that would indicate application of brakes or evasive maneuvers prior to impact. The accident is still under investigation, so it would be premature for me to speculate as to a cause at this point.”
In a follow-up email Tuesday, Staudinger said, “The speed limit had increased from a 55 to 65 mph zone just prior to the accident scene.”
The Ledger-Enquirer reported in November 2022 that Napier was part of Jordan’s effort to be among the first six Georgia schools to start a Heavy Equipment Operator Program, using simulated excavators to train students for industry certification before they graduate.
Napier graduated from Jordan in 2008. He was in his fifth year teaching at the school. He previously worked in maintenance, HVAC and construction.
Jordan posted the following announcement on its Facebook page Sunday:
“The Red Jacket family mourns the loss of one of our own. Mr. Jimmy Napier passed away Saturday evening from injuries he sustained in an auto accident. Mr. Napier was a valued member of the Red Jacket family and an excellent teacher that we will all miss very much.
“Our JVHS counselors, as well as grief counselors from around our school district, will be available in the media center tomorrow to assist any students and staff who may want or need to talk with someone about how they are feeling.
“Please keep the Napier family and Red Jacket family in your thoughts and prayers. Together we will get through this.”
Funeral arrangements weren’t immediately available.
This story was originally published August 28, 2023 at 10:29 AM.
