In the quiet pre-dawn hours of Sunday, November 9, 2025, tragedy struck the 2500 block of Carolina Terrace in Bessemer, Alabama, when a vehicle suddenly veered off the road and smashed into a utility pole before crashing into a tree. Two local men, 50-year-old Charles Devon Lockett and 35-year-old Denterrius Deon Hill, both residents of Bessemer, were inside the car and were pronounced dead at the scene.
According to the Jefferson County Coroner’s Office, the crash occurred around 5:00 a.m. Lockett, believed to have been driving, somehow left the roadway and lost control of the vehicle. After striking the utility pole, the car then collided with a tree—an impact so forceful that first responders found both men unresponsive when they arrived. They were pronounced deceased about 15 minutes later.
The road remains marred by questions. The Bessemer Police Department has opened a full investigation into the cause of the crash—investigators are examining the vehicle’s movements, the road conditions, possible mechanical failure, and whether speed or weather played a role. As of now, no conclusions have been publicly announced.
For those who knew them, Lockett and Hill were more than neighbors—they were everyday heroes in their community. Family and friends remember them as generous, humorous men who showed up when they were needed, brightening rooms with their presence. The suddenness of their loss has sent shockwaves through Bessemer, where tributes and condolences have poured in via social media and over backyard fences.
One resident summed it up: “They were more than friends—they were family to us all.” In an area where folks often talk about helping each other out, these two seemed to embody that spirit. Their passing leaves not just an empty seat or two—but a void of laughter, support and kindness that many relied on.
In the wake of this devastating morning, authorities are urging anyone who was driving near Carolina Terrace around that time, or who may have seen the vehicle beforehand, to come forward with any information—even the smallest detail might assist the crash-reconstruction team as they work to piece together the final moments leading to the collision.
As the investigation continues, Bessemer’s quiet streets carry a heavy sorrow. Two lives—each valued, loved and deeply connected to their community—have been cut short. And for all who knew them, memories of Charles Devon Lockett and Denterrius Deon Hill will live on in the hearts of those they touched, as reminders of both fragility and the profound impact one person can have.