Columbus, Georgia woman dies after head-on crash on U.S. 80 in Russell County, Alabama
What happened
A 70-year-old woman from Columbus, Georgia, died after a head-on collision in Russell County, Alabama, on Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. Authorities said the crash occurred at about 4:15 p.m. on U.S. 80, roughly 14 miles west of Phenix City.
The woman was driving a Nissan Rogue when it collided head-on with another sport utility vehicle. She was taken to a hospital in Columbus, where she later died from her injuries. Her identity was released as Marie B. Thompson.
Injuries and immediate response
The driver of the other SUV was injured and transported to a hospital for treatment. No additional information has been released about the second driver’s condition, whether there were passengers in either vehicle, or whether seat belts were in use.
State troopers are continuing to investigate the circumstances that led to the collision. Officials have not released details on factors that often become central in crash investigations, such as vehicle speeds, lane positioning before impact, possible impairment, distraction, or whether weather and road conditions played a role.
What is known — and what remains unclear
At this stage, the publicly confirmed information is limited to the time and general location of the crash, the vehicles involved, the identification of the deceased driver, and the fact that the collision was head-on. With investigations like this, additional findings typically depend on scene measurements, vehicle inspections, and reconstruction analysis that can take time to complete.
Confirmed: The crash happened around 4:15 p.m. Feb. 14, 2026, on U.S. 80 about 14 miles west of Phenix City.
Confirmed: A Nissan Rogue and another SUV collided head-on.
Confirmed: The Nissan driver, Marie B. Thompson, 70, of Columbus, Georgia, died after being transported to a Columbus hospital.
Unconfirmed/not released: The identity and condition of the other driver beyond being injured, any passenger information, and the cause of the crash.
Investigation status
The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency’s Highway Patrol Division is leading the investigation. Until troopers release a formal crash narrative or reconstruction findings, key questions—such as how the vehicles came into the same lane and whether any contributing violations occurred—remain unanswered.
Anyone who witnessed the collision or has relevant dash-camera footage from U.S. 80 in the area around 4:15 p.m. Saturday may be asked to assist investigators as the case develops.