Man indicted on murder charges
By Staff
Melissa Cason
A Russellville man has been charged with murder after a 2008 car wreck left his girlfriend dead.
Timothy Joe Long, 41, 110 Zollie Barnes Road, Russellville, was charged Tuesday with reckless murder, officials said. He was indicted by a January grand jury.
Long was the driver of a 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier that was involved in a two-car crash April 3 on Alabama 24, four miles north of Russellville. Long's girlfriend, Geraldine Boos, 40, of Zollie Barnes Road, Russellville, was a passenger in the car and was killed in the accident.
Long is accused of driving while under the influence of cocaine, hydrocodone and other narcotics, officials said.
"Driving a vehicle under the influence of a controlled substance which resulted in him colliding with a second vehicle," the indictment reads.
Authorities said Long, who was injured in the accident, was traveling south on Franklin 77, attempting to cross Alabama 24, when his vehicle struck an eastbound tractor-trailer truck. The driver of the truck was not injured.
Emergency personnel at the scene said the car went under the bed of the trailer at the rear wheels.
The impact knocked the car's transmission and motor about 100 feet up the roadway from where the collision happened.
The truck was carrying live chickens to the Pilgrim's Pride processing plant.
According to reports, the collision was in the outside eastbound lane of Alabama 24, but the impact knocked the car back into the median of the highway, coming to rest 50-75 feet from where the accident happened.
Long is being held in the Franklin County Jail on bail of $50,000. According to a special judge's order, if Long does post bail, he cannot drive or operate a motor vehicle.
Reckless murder is a Class A felony and is punishable by 10 years to life in prison if convicted.
"Reckless murder carries the same penalties as murder does under the Code of Alabama," District Attorney Joey Rushing said.