It was around 5:40 on a Sunday afternoon when a routine drive turned into a tragedy on a rural stretch of road in Morgan County. Kathy D. Tennyson, 69, was behind the wheel of her 2016 Nissan Rogue, driving along Alabama Highway 36. She was about a mile east of Hartselle, heading through familiar countryside, when her vehicle ran off the road near the 24-mile marker.
The SUV drifted off the right shoulder, clipped a mailbox, and slammed head-on into a concrete culvert headwall. The sudden impact crushed the front end of the vehicle and brought the SUV to a sudden halt, trapping Tennyson and a young passenger inside.

Volunteers and local emergency crews rushed to the scene within minutes. First responders worked quickly to extricate Tennyson from the vehicle and move her into an awaiting ambulance. Paramedics transported her to Cullman Regional Medical Center – Hartselle Health Park Emergency Room, but her injuries proved fatal, and doctors were unable to save her.
Riding in the vehicle with Tennyson was a 10-year-old child who was also hurt in the wreck. Emergency medical technicians treated the child at the crash site before transferring them to a nearby hospital for further care. Officials have kept details about the child’s exact condition private out of respect for the family.
Back home in Somerville, news of the accident spread fast among neighbors and friends. In a small, close-knit North Alabama town, losing a long-time resident so suddenly leaves a heavy mark on everyone who knew her. A simple evening trip turned into something nobody in the community saw coming.
Family members are now dealing with the heavy task of arranging funeral services while staying focused on the recovering child. Neighbors remember Tennyson as a quiet, familiar face around town who cared deeply for her family and enjoyed the slow pace of local life.
State troopers with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency are working to determine what caused the SUV to leave the roadway. While investigators collect evidence, Tennyson’s family and friends are leaning on one another and holding out hope for the child’s full recovery.




