Local & State Headlines

Wreck kills Albany man

Joshua Brown

ALBANY — An Albany man was killed after apparently running a stop sign on West Society Avenue early Sunday morning, police said Monday.

Gernarius Jerome Wooden, 28, died after running a stop sign at West Society’s intersection with North Slappey Boulevard, APD spokeswoman Phyllis Banks said.

Wooden’s vehicle was struck by another vehicle traveling north on North Slappey Boulevard around 4 a.m. Sunday, Banks said. Banks did not have information on the other vehicle’s driver or passengers, but said there were five people treated at local hospitals.

Police said Wooden’s vehicle rolled over after being struck and Wooden was ejected. Banks said she did not have more detailed information because the investigator assigned to the case was out of the office Monday.

Ashley Moody said she was one of the first people to arrive at the scene.

“When I come up the first thing I was trying to do was take care of the girls that were in the other vehicle,” she said. We could hear them screaming.”

Moody said she spotted Wooden and knew immediately that he likely would die from his wounds. Two other men were in the vehicle with Wooden and were trying to crawl out of the wreckage, she said.

“I leaned down and prayed (with Wooden). I told him to go peacefully,” she said. “I just sat there for a minute rubbing his back. ... It was really traumatic.

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