CULLMAN, Ala. – On Saturday, Rock the South cranked up for day two, having rethought certain issues from day one including nearly overwhelming traffic flow problems and dusty conditions. Cullman Mayor Woody Jacobs donned a safety vest to help direct tanker trucks to spray down heavily traveled thoroughfares in the morning to cut down on dust, and trucks continued to work in certain areas through the afternoon. Dust continued to fly, but didn’t seem to be as much of an issue. During day one, emergency responders reported treating several people for minor effects of the dust, mostly flushing out gritty eyes. Saturday afternoon, responders told The Tribune they had not had any noteworthy issues with the dust.
NOTE: There is a report of a young man found unresponsive Saturday at Rock the South. The Tribune is working to get more details on this incident.
Other medical matters
Inside the venue Friday, medical staff- which included multiple agencies and volunteers from across the region, working under the coordination of Cullman Fire Rescue- had more than 100 medical contacts for minor issues such as folks needing band-aids, 48 people who required some type of treatment in the first aid tent, with 12 patients requiring medical transport.
By Saturday afternoon, staff reported that the numbers appeared to be a little lower, though the evening crowd was still coming in. Cullman Fire Chief Brian Bradberry said he expected Saturday’s numbers, and those of the event as a whole, would be in line with previous RTS events. Most medical calls over both days were for treatment of heat-related conditions.
Pedestrian struck on County Road 469
Early Saturday morning, a pedestrian on County Road 469 approximately a quarter mile south of the venue was struck by a vehicle, which then left the scene. Good Hope Fire Chief David Scott said that the victim suffered head injuries and had to be airlifted from the scene to UAB Hospital, where a recent report from the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA)- which is handling the case- indicated that the victim, a 30-year-old male, is in stable condition. Witnesses noted that a number of pedestrians were walking along the poorly lit stretch of road at the time. ALEA is still investigating, and has not released a description of the fleeing vehicle.
Senior Alabama State Trooper Chuck Daniel said, “ALEA State Troopers are investigating a single-vehicle crash that occurred on Cullman County 469 in the area of the Rock the South event. The crash occurred around 12:45 a.m. today, June 1, and the driver of the vehicle fled the scene after striking a pedestrian. The pedestrian is a 30-year-old white male from Cullman, and he is in stable condition at UAB Hospital in Birmingham.
“State Troopers are working with Cullman County Sheriff’s Office to identify the vehicle and the driver. If anyone in that area believes that they have information concerning the crash, they can contact the Decatur State Trooper Post (256-353-0631) or the Cullman County Sheriff’s office (256-734-0342). Nothing further is available as ALEA State Troopers continue to investigate.”
Traffic: not perfect, but better
Getting lots of cars into a venue with limited thoroughfares, especially for the first time, was bound to have issues, which added up to the biggest source of complaints about Friday. Saturday, cars still lined up down the approaches, but seemed to move better than Friday’s flow, described by visitors using terms like “gridlock” and “parking lot.” Sheriff Matt Gentry reported that a few “on-the-fly” changes to the traffic/parking plan Saturday morning appeared to be having a positive effect.
Law enforcement: worrisome incidents Saturday night, but a good situation overall
The presence of numerous officers from multiple police departments and sheriffs’ offices across the region, plus state troopers and even onsite Department of Homeland Security (DHS) advisors, seemed to have a somewhat calming effect on circumstances inside the venue.
On Friday, the Cullman County Sheriff’s Office reported 20 arrests. By late Saturday afternoon, only five additional arrests had been made, though the number was likely to increase during the evening. The number of ejections for drunkenness or misconduct was unknown, as officers reportedly had authorization to escort offenders out the gate at their discretion. Officials told The Tribune most arrests over the two days involved minors possessing or consuming alcohol.
On Saturday evening, witnesses reported seeing a few fights break out within the venue, and seeing groups of law enforcement officers moving quickly toward various points on the grounds. Despite that, appraisals of the event made to The Tribune by officials from multiple agencies indicated that they were generally satisfied with how things went.
Sharing the wealth
On Saturday, RTS presented a study by the University of Alabama indicating that this year’s event could have an economic impact on the Cullman area- including hotels, dining establishments, and retail stores, in addition to the direct impact of the concert itself- of up to $10 million.
Saturday evening, RTS followed its regular practice of presenting donations to area charities and organizations. This year’s recipients included:
- Childhaven, a group home serving abused and neglected teens
- Brooks’ Place, a child advocacy organization that provides multiple services to victims of child abuse
- Curt’s Closet, a charity that provides clothing and other goods for children and teens in need
- The Bridge, an organization working to help teens overcome addiction
- The Link of Cullman County, an organization that brings together multiple resources to help people work their way out of poverty
- Cullman Regional Foundation, which supports numerous programs of Cullman Regional Medical Center
Look for more in Tuesday’s print edition of The Cullman Tribune.
Copyright 2019 Humble Roots, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
