3 dead in early morning Elmore County crash

ELMORE COUNTY, Ala. (WSFA) - Three people are dead and a fourth person is injured after an early morning New Year’s Day crash in Elmore County, according to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency.

The crash happened at 2:30 a.m. on Rifle Range Road near Peace Church Road. That’s about five miles east of Wetumpka.

According to ALEA, 25-year-old Montgomery resident Ladarious Antonio Griffin was killed when the 1997 Lexus ES300 he was driving left the roadway, struck a tree and overturned.

Two passengers in Griffin’s vehicle, Charnavia Lashay Hinkle, 22, of Montgomery, and Lamisha Nicole Avera, 22, of Wetumpka, were also fatally injured.

Troopers say none of the three had on a seatbelt at the time of the crash.

A fourth passenger - the sole occupant using a seatbelt - survived the crash. That victim, who has not been identified, was transported to an area hospital for treatment of unspecified injuries.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation by ALEA.