By Sam Poe
Friday, November 22, 2013 | 12:11 AM
https://hbtv.us/news/?story_id=1859
The Pebble Fire Department, Winston County Sheriff's Department, and Alabama Department of Public Safety responded to the scene of a one vehicle accident on State Highway 243, near the Winston/Franklin County line, at 2:15 Thursday afternoon. This accident caused Hwy. 243 to be shut down in both directions for almost three hours while the scene was cleared.
The older model Mercury Cougar was driven by Billy Shikles, 43. Shikles and his passenger, David Michael Smith, 23, were traveling north on Hwy. 243 when he lost control, the vehicle left the roadway, and ran into a deep ditch. It appears that Shikles tried to maneuver the car back onto the highway, but he was unable to regain control, and further damage and injuries were sustained. Both Shikles and Smith were airlifted from the scene to Huntsville Hospital with serious injuries. The accident is under investigation by the Alabama Department of Public Safety.