As is too often the case, a busy holiday weekend on Chilton County roadways led to tragedy.

One person was killed in a wreck on Interstate 65 on Sunday, several others were left in serious condition after wrecks, and an apparent suicide shut down traffic on the interstate.

A 50-year-old Jemison man jumped off an overpass onto Interstate 65 on Monday night in an apparent suicide, according to authorities.

The incident stopped traffic in both directions along I-65 for more than one hour near Jemison Exit 219, as authorities with the Jemison Police Department attempted to talk the man out of jumping.

“It is just a sad situation all around,” said Jemison Police Chief Shane Fulmer. “Our officers really tried to talk to him and let him know that nothing is too bad that we can’t talk about it, but I think he had his mind made up and there was nothing we could do to talk him out of it.”

Fulmer said around 6 p.m. an officer with JPD was on patrol in the area of County Road 42 near the bridge that crosses over I-65 when the officer noticed the man near the bridge.

“He was threatening to do harm to himself by jumping off the bridge,” Fulmer said.

Additional officers with the JPD were called to the scene including the chaplain and negotiator with the JPD.

“They started talking with the man for about 20-30 minutes, but they couldn’t get through to him,” Fulmer said. “He eventually jumped and was pronounced dead on the scene.”

Fulmer said once officers were initially on the scene they shut down both sides of the interstate and kept both lanes of traffic closed while officers negotiated with the man.

“Once he decided to jump, he jumped to the northbound side of the interstate,” Fulmer said.

Eventually the southbound lanes were opened while officers worked the scene on the northbound side.

Once the scene was clear, traffic was re-opened on the northbound side around 8 p.m.

Fulmer said JPD is still investigating, but has deemed the incident a suicide.

Fulmer said the individual lived in Jemison, having moved to Chilton County from New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.

Fulmer said it was important for officers to work with the man to figure out a way to help him.

“It is important in those types of situations to talk to the individual and let them know we are there to help,” Fulmer said. “In this situation, it was clear that the individual had his mind made up regardless of what the officers could have said to him. Our hearts and prayers go out to the family of this individual. No one ever wants something like this to happen.”

Traffic backed up on the interstate because of the incident led to at least one wreck with serious injuries.

An 18-wheeler and two passenger vehicles collided at about 9 p.m. Monday, according to Clanton Police Capt. Neil Fetner.

Two people involved in the wreck were transported to hospitals with serious but non-life threatening injuries, Fetner said.

The wreck occurred near I-65 Exit 212, Fetner said.

Investigators were on the scene, leading to further traffic delays on the interstate from 11 p.m. Monday until about 5 a.m. Tuesday.

The wreck is still under investigation.

Kentucky 26-year-old killed in single-vehicle wreck

CPD is also investigating a wreck that occurred at about 9:30 a.m. Sunday and claimed the life of a Kentucky man.

Vance Knight, 26, of Louisville, Ky. was killed in a single-vehicle wreck near the I-65 211 Mile Marker northbound.

Knight was pronounced dead on the scene, while a second subject was flown by emergency helicopter to a hospital with life-threatening injuries.

The vehicle the two Kentucky residents were traveling in left the roadway and struck a tree, Fetner said.

Portions of the interstate was shut down for about four hours while first responders and investigators worked the scene.