An Alabama policeman was hit and killed on Monday while directing traffic outside a church, and the community is mourning the tragic loss.
The incident happened just before 7:00 a.m. at Church of the Highlands when 60-old Irondale Police Lt. Mark Meadows was putting out traffic cones at the intersection of Grants Mill Road and Overton Road when he was hit by an oncoming motorist, AL.com reported on Tuesday.
In a social media post Monday, the Irondale Police Department said Meadows was taken to Grandview Hospital where he later died as a result of his injuries:
It is with deep sadness and heavy hearts that the Irondale Police Department reports the death of Lieutenant Mark…
Posted by Irondale Police Department on Monday, January 6, 2025
“The Irondale Police Department offers our heartfelt gratitude to surrounding police agencies for their support with this incident,” the agency said, adding it made the announcement with “deep sadness and heavy hearts.”
Now, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) is investigating what happened.
RIP. Alabama Lieutenant Mark Meadows.
— Military Support (@MilitaryCooI) January 7, 2025
Lieutenant Meadows was a United States Army veteran. He had served with the Irondale Police Department for 30 years. Rest easy Hero 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/VduqqnlYPu
According to officials, the driver of the vehicle was 32-year-old Evan N. Sullivan of Leeds, who stopped at the scene of the incident. The vehicle was described as a Chevrolet Colorado, per the AL.com article.
In a statement, Mayor James D. Stewart Jr. said:
Lt. Mark Meadows was a treasured member of our Irondale family for over 30 years. He was a man of few words but always led by example and embodied the heart of a true public servant. Lt. Meadows will be dearly missed by his brothers and sisters at the Irondale Police Department, as well as by all of our City employees and citizens. We are comforted in knowing that he is with his heavenly father, and we will continue to cover his family in prayer as they grieve this great loss.
During an interview with WVTM, the mayor added, “God is still in control, he’s still sovereign. We have storms that we have to go through but he has the ability to help us to be able to get through to the other side.”
“And that if we just keep the faith and just hold on that everything is going to be alright,” he said:
The AL.com report noted that “Meadows served four years in the U.S Army 3rd Ranger Battalion, 10th Mountain Division at Ft. Benning in Georgia.”
The police department said it would host a “Circle of Prayer and Remembrance” on Tuesday evening, inviting members of the public to join together at the flagpole outside city hall to honor the officer’s legacy:
This evening, we will come together as a community to honor the legacy of Lt. Mark Meadows. Members of the public are…
Posted by Irondale Police Department on Tuesday, January 7, 2025
Meadows had helped with traffic at the church for over a decade. At the time of his death, the church was in the midst of its 21 Days of Prayer event.
In his statement regarding the tragedy, Pastor Chris Hodges said, “Our hearts are heavy beyond measure. Officer Meadows has been with us since the opening of our Grants Mill campus almost 18 years ago. He is family to us.”
“All our thoughts and prayers are with his wife, daughter, son, family members, fellow officers and the many who loved him. Even in the most difficult and trying times, we know our God will provide comfort, strength and reassurance based on the promise of heaven. We as a church will do all we can to care for his family,” Hodges concluded.
