1 dead, 2 injured in two separate crashes in Opelika

Opelika police say one person has died and two others were injured in two separate crashes Friday.

The first accident happened around 2:41 p.m. on I-85 North just before Exit 58.

Officers responded to the two vehicle accident and found the driver of one of the vehicles unresponsive.

Opelika Fire Medics began life-saving measures before transporting the driver to East Alabama Medical Center. The driver later died from their injuries.

Macon County EMA Director Frank Lee identified the driver as 57-year-old Narendrakumar Patel, of Auburn. Lee said Patel was a former business owner in the city of Tuskegee.

Opelika police say the driver of the second vehicle was also transported to East Alabama Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries.

The second accident happened 12 minutes later on Marvyn Parkway at Gateway Drive.

Opelika police say they received a call involving a vehicle and a motorcycle.

Once officers arrived, they found the driver of the motorcycle lying in the roadway with serious injuries.

The driver was transported to Piedmont Columbus Regional Hospital for treatment of their injuries. The status of their injuries is unknown at this time.

Both crashes remain under investigation by the Opelika Police Traffic Homicide Investigation Unit.

If you have any information on these incidents, please contact the Opelika Police Department at (334) 705-5200 or the Secret Witness Hotline at (334) 745-8665. Tips can be submitted through the Opelika Police Mobile App. You may wish to remain anonymous.