A tragic auto accident Thursday morning claimed the life of a Cherokee County, Alabama man.

A two-vehicle crash involving a Chevy pickup and an 18-wheeler took place around 9:30am on Highway 411, approximately nine miles north of Centre.  Davis Clifford Barfield Sr., age 80 of McCord's was fatally injured when his pickup truck was struck by the 18-wheeler as he was pulling from a driveway onto 411.

The big rig was traveling southbound when that collision occurred. 

We spoke with the driver and he said he did everything possible to avoid the accident but there was simply no way to stop the 18-wheeler by the time he saw the pickup actually start to pull out – and, at that point he ditched the vehicle – crossing a culvert and crashing into some small trees.

Coroner Jeremy Deaton pronounced Barfield dead at the scene; Deputy Coroner Jeff Walsh, also responded to the location. Barfield had to be extricated from his vehicle by members of the Cherokee County Rescue Squad. 

Cherokee EMS, the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency and the Spring Creek Fire Department also responded.

We'll have more information once the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency accident report is released.