Victim identified in deadly Alabama pedestrian crash

HOUSTON COUNTY, Ala. (WDHN) — A man died when a vehicle struck him along a busy highway in Houston County on Friday night, and now a Henry County couple is charged in the case.

The crash happened at Burdeshaw Road and U.S. 431 in Kinsey.

Police have identified the victim as Matthew Edward Cook, 32, of Griffin, Georgia.

Witnesses at the scene told police that Cook was pushing his bike and was not on the road but in the grass median when a large pickup truck hit him.

Police said that in that truck were Phillip and Carin Chavers.

Following this, witnesses said they followed the truck until they could take a picture of the license plate and send it to the police.

Police said locate the address attached to the plate, and when they arrived at the Chavers’ home, the truck was there.

After speaking with the owners, police said Carin Chavers claimed she was driving the truck but wasn’t sure what she hit. Police said after speaking with her, they learned that she lied about driving the truck to protect her husband’s job.

They later arrested Phillip Chavers at the house. Officers asked if he wanted to make a statement following what they had learned from Carin Chavers, but Phillip Chavers instead asked for a lawyer.

Phillip Chavers was then taken to the Houston County Jail, where he currently is charged with resisting arrest, making a false report, leaving the scene of an accident with death and obstruction of justice. He is being held without bond.

In October 2001 and March 2002, Phillip Chavers was charged with two speeding violations of less than 25 miles per hour in Barbour County, but court records show he paid those tickets.

In November 2014, Phillip Chavers was accused of driving 26 miles per hour over the speed limit, but that case was later dismissed after court records said the ticket was not turned in within 10 days of the charge.

Carin Chavers is charged with obstruction of justice, resisting arrest and making a false report to law enforcement. According to jail records, she bonded out of jail Saturday morning.

Both cases will be sent to the Houston County District Attorney’s Office to see if additional charges will be added next week

Cook’s body will be sent to the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences in Montgomery for an autopsy.

Several agencies responded and assisted with the case Friday night, but the Kinsey Police Department is in charge of the investigation.