July 14th, 2025 – 8:00 AM
WEIS Radio –
According to a report from WEIS Radio, a 6-year-old child from Gaylesville died in a single-vehicle crash on Saturday, July 12.
The crash happened at approximately 10:22 a.m. on Cherokee County Road 275 near Little River Canyon Mouth Park, about 10 miles north of Leesburg.
Alabama Law Enforcement Agency officials said the child was a passenger in a 1999 GMC C1500 pickup truck when the vehicle left the roadway and hit a culvert. The truck then went airborne and struck a tree.
The child was pronounced dead at the scene by the Cherokee County Coroner’s Office.
The driver, identified as 25-year-old Brandon T. Cobb of Sand Rock, was taken to Atrium Health Floyd in Rome for treatment.
Tucker’s Chapel Fire Department, Atrium Floyd EMS, and the Cherokee County Rescue Squad responded to the scene.
Troopers with ALEA’s Highway Patrol Division are continuing to investigate.
Update: A GoFundMe has been set up for the child, now identified as Rykar Ward, to cover funeral and memorial expenses. The link to support the family can be found here: https://gofund.me/5585ded9