Testimony in the criminal trial of a local man accused of causing the DUI driving death of a Cullman High School student entered a second day Wednesday, highlighted predominantly by prosecution witnesses who attended to the deceased at the time of the accident.

The state will continue laying out its case Thursday against 29 year-old Bradford Neal Meeks, whom they say was illegally driving under the influence of alcohol at the time of the May 7, 2017 crash that claimed the life of 15 year-old Curtis James Wilson.

Meeks was indicted in connection with the incident on charges of reckless murder, DUI, unsafe lane change, driving on the wrong side of the road, violating the state’s open container law, and third-degree assault. Freed after posting bond, Meeks was again arrested on a warrant in June of 2017 on misdemeanor theft charges in connection with an alleged theft at a liquor store the preceding April.

Wilson was in the front passenger seat at the time of the fatal 2017 crash that also injured his mother, Ashley Wilson, who was treated and released at Cullman Regional. Meeks, who was also injured in the crash, was transported by helicopter to UAB. The accident occurred on County Road 222 near Van’s Sporting Goods. Alabama State Troopers said that both Curtis and Ashley Wilson were wearing seat belts at the time of the accident, but that Meeks was not.

On Wednesday, the state showed jurors post-accident photographs of both vehicles involved in the crash, while hearing testimony from a physician who attended Wilson after he arrived by helicopter at Children’s Hospital in Birmingham. Jurors also heard from a witness who saw the accident while traveling in another vehicle, as well as two medical EMT responders who attended at the scene.

On the stand, the Air Evac Lifeteam EMT responder who attended Wilson in his vehicle described his efforts to stabilize Wilson’s vital signs while other responders worked to extricate him from the car, where he was entrapped by the impacted dashboard and passenger door. Determining that Wilson’s airway was compromised, the witness explained how he intubated Wilson while he was still in the vehicle — a procedure he described to the jury as “very difficult.”

The trial resumes Thursday, with testimony expected to continue from state-called witnesses.

Benjamin Bullard can be reached by phone at 256-734-2131 ext. 145.