SYLACAUGA, AL — A Sylacauga man died Thursday evening after his motorcycle left the roadway in Coosa County and hit a tree, according to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency.
Charles E. Kelley Jr., 58, was riding a 2009 Suzuki C50K9 Boulevard on Coosa County 29 when the crash happened around 5:30 p.m. Troopers said Kelley was thrown from the motorcycle and pronounced dead at the scene.
The wreck happened about 10 miles south of Sylacauga. ALEA’s Highway Patrol Division is investigating what caused the motorcycle to leave the road.
Kelley was riding a 2009 Suzuki Boulevard on Coosa County 29
Authorities identified the rider as Charles E. Kelley Jr. of Sylacauga. The motorcycle was a 2009 Suzuki C50K9 Boulevard, and the crash involved only that one vehicle.
According to ALEA, Kelley was traveling on Coosa County 29 when the motorcycle went off the roadway. The collision with the tree ended the ride near the rural stretch of road where the crash occurred.
No additional details about speed, weather, road conditions, or whether any other vehicles were nearby were included in the initial account from troopers.
Troopers say he was thrown from the bike and died at the scene
After the motorcycle left the roadway and struck the tree, Kelley was ejected. ALEA said he was pronounced dead where the crash occurred.
The fatal outcome underscores how quickly a single-motorcycle crash can turn deadly, especially when a rider is thrown from the vehicle. In this case, troopers did not report any surviving occupants because no one else was on the motorcycle.
Officials have not released information about whether protective gear was being worn or whether a medical issue may have played a role. Those questions remain part of the investigation.
The crash happened about 10 miles south of Sylacauga
Coosa County 29 runs through a rural part of central Alabama, and ALEA said the crash site was about 10 miles south of Sylacauga. That places the wreck outside the city and away from heavier traffic corridors.
The distance matters for investigators because it helps mark the area where the motorcycle left the road and where emergency responders were sent. Even in a lower-traffic setting, tree-lined roads and roadside shoulders can create dangerous conditions for riders.
With few immediate details available, the location is one of the main facts tying the crash to a specific stretch of road in the county.
ALEA’s Highway Patrol Division is leading the investigation
Troopers with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency’s Highway Patrol Division are handling the inquiry. Their job now is to reconstruct how the motorcycle left the road and why the rider was ejected.
That process typically includes reviewing the scene, measuring skid or tire marks if present, and gathering any witness information. ALEA has not said whether any witnesses have come forward in this case.
For now, the agency has confirmed the basic sequence: the motorcycle departed the roadway, struck a tree, and the rider died at the scene.
A fatal reminder for riders on Alabama back roads
Motorcycle crashes often leave little margin for error, especially on rural roads where curves, narrow shoulders, and roadside obstacles can raise the risk of serious injury. Kelley’s death adds another fatal crash to Alabama’s road safety record.
While troopers have not said what triggered this wreck, the outcome shows how quickly a rider can be exposed once a bike leaves the pavement. In this case, the impact with the tree was enough to turn the crash fatal within moments.
The investigation remains active, and ALEA has not announced any charges or further enforcement action connected to the crash.
Local news that matters, from Dulaney Griffin.
