It’s the kind of news that stops a small town dead in its tracks. On Tuesday evening, the tight-knit community of Walstonburg lost one of its own. Colonial A. Hicks, a 37-year-old local resident, was killed in a violent car crash on Interstate 587. The sudden tragedy has left a deep, painful silence in a town where everybody knows your name.
According to state troopers, the crash happened right around 6:45 p.m. Colonial was heading west near Saratoga when things went terribly wrong. He was behind the wheel of his 2017 Dodge Charger. For reasons still under investigation, his car struck the back of a Ford Escape near the 34-mile marker.
The impact was devastating. After hitting the other vehicle, Colonial’s Charger spun out of control and flew off the right side of the road. The car crossed a deep ditch, crashed head-on into a tree, and instantly burst into flames. The scene was chaotic as passing drivers pulled over to help, but the fire spread too fast.
Emergency crews rushed to the scene as fast as they could. But there was nothing they could do to save Colonial. He suffered severe, fatal injuries in the crash and was pronounced dead right there at the scene. Thankfully, the driver of the Ford Escape walked away from the collision without a single physical scratch.
Now, the folks in Walstonburg are left to pick up the pieces of a shattered community. Friends and neighbors say Colonial was a warm soul who always had a kind word for everyone he met. He loved his town, and he loved his people. The sudden void he leaves behind is something his family says they cannot even begin to put into words.
State highway patrol officers are still piecing together exactly what led to the fiery wreck. Investigators have already noted that high speed played a major role in the crash. They are looking into whether mechanical issues or other road distractions might have contributed to the collision as well.
For now, the people who loved Colonial are focusing on the good times they shared with him. They are leaning heavily on each other for comfort and strength. In Walstonburg, residents are setting up small tributes and keeping his family in their thoughts. They want to make sure his memory and his spirit are never forgotten.
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