Victims of Tuesday wreck identified

Officials have identified the two drivers who were killed Tuesday in a three-car accident on I-85 near Exit 57.

LaDonna Vajda, 55, of Cusseta and Lakeisha Maddox, 28, of Tuskegee died of apparent massive blunt force injuries, according to a press release from the Lee County Coroner’s office.

Vajda was the driver of a BMW 328i and Maddox was driving a Lincoln, according to the release.

Vajda’s funeral arrangements will be announced later by Jeffcoat-Trant Funeral Home in Opelika. McKenzie’s Funeral Home in Tuskegee is handing the Maddox arrangements.

The accident occurred about 5 p.m. Tuesday.

A black BMW 328i was traveling in the southbound lane of Interstate 85 just north of Exit 57 when the driver lost control, crossed the median and struck a 2003 Mercedes, according to a witness’ statement released by the Opelika Police Department. The BMW then struck the front of a Lincoln LS.

The Mercedes sustained minor damage, and none of its four passengers were injured, according to police.

When law enforcement officers arrived, they found one vehicle on fire and extinguished it, according to Lee County Coroner Bill Harris.

The BMW was lying on its passenger’s side across both lanes of traffic, according to a statement from the Opelika police department.

The Lincoln was facing south on the shoulder, and the Mercedes was in the outside lane of traffic facing north.

The front of the Lincoln appeared crushed, and the roof of the BMW was crumpled and torn.

“The driver of the BMW was ejected and was killed instantly and did not appear to have on a seat belt,” Harris said.

The other driver had to be cut out of the Lincoln, he said.

Both bodies will be transported to the medical examiner’s office in Montgomery for autopsies, according to the statement.

One passenger in the Lincoln was taken to The Medical Center in Columbus by Life Flight helicopter. The other passenger was taken by ambulance to East Alabama Medical Center.

Conditions of the two occupants were unknown Tuesday night.

Auburn and Opelika police and fire departments, as well as EMS, responded to the accident.

Emergency personnel at the scene said they found a car seat in the wreckage of the BMW. Thinking a child might have been ejected, they used a fire truck’s ladder to scan an embankment for signs, but none were found.

Traffic was backed up on both sides of the Interstate. Northbound traffic was re-routed off Exit 57.

The cause of the wreck is currently under investigation, according to the Opelika police statement.

“It’ll probably take a while to get this one pieced together,” Harris said.

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