Kelvin Rex Hathcote

A 2019 vehicle accident that claimed the life of a student at Arab has resulted in the arrest of a Hanceville man, after a local Grand Jury indicted him on numerous counts in connection with the incident, including reckless murder by vehicle.

The accident, which occurred on U.S. Highway 231 in Cullman County in December of 2019, left 16 year-old Ana Grace “Gracie” Anderson dead. Anderson was a freshman at Arab High School at the time of the crash. She was a passenger in a vehicle driven by Roger Fortenberry of Arab. Anderson passed away at Huntsville Hospital four days after the accident.

Kelvin Rex Hathcote, the driver of the second vehicle in the head-on collision, was arrested last week following his Nov. 4, 2020 indictment on six separate charges. In addition to the reckless murder by vehicle charge, those also include reckless manslaughter, two counts of first degree assault, homicide by vehicle, and second degree assault.

The Grand Jury found reason to indict Hathcote on allegations that he operated his vehicle under the influence of a controlled substance. Court records show prior traffic-related charges against Hathcote dating to 1992, with the majority of those coming between 2003 and 2011.

Hathcote’s case has been docketed before Circuit Judge Martha Williams. According to court records, he remains in the Cullman County Detention Center on a property bond of $90,000.