Late Friday evening, the peace of a rural stretch just south of Alexander City was shattered when 57-year-old Jerry L. Partee stepped into the roadway of Alabama Highway 259 and was struck by a fleeing vehicle, leaving his family and the local community grappling with sudden loss and unanswered questions.
According to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA), the tragic incident occurred at approximately 10:15 p.m. on October 17, near the 12-mile marker along AL-259 in Tallapoosa County — about one mile south of Alexander City. The accident remains under investigation.
Partee was standing in the roadway when the unknown vehicle struck him, inflicting fatal injuries which led to his death at the scene. Troopers said the driver did not stop and fled, leaving behind a family and a community seeking accountability.
Investigating officers with ALEA’s Highway Patrol Division are urging anyone who might have witnessed the vehicle — or seen someone driving away from the scene late that evening — to come forward with information. Tips can be given to ALEA Troopers at 334-676-7250.
For the Partee family, the loss has ushered in an agonising wait for answers. Friends recall Jerry as a quiet man known for being thoughtful and dependable. While details about what brought him to that section of road at that hour are still sparse, it’s clear that on that ordinary October night, a devastating event unfolded that none saw coming.
In the wider community of Alexander City and Tallapoosa County, residents have responded with a mixture of sorrow and determination — grief for the life cut short, and resolve that the driver responsible be held to account. So far, no description of the vehicle has been released publicly, but law-enforcement sources say that any small clue could prove vital.
As daylight broke Saturday morning, the rural stretch of AL-259 seemed just a bit emptier without Jerry. The investigation remains open and active. Anyone with information — no matter how small — is being asked to contact ALEA as the search continues for the driver who fled and for justice for the Partee family.