A two-vehicle accident on U.S. Highway 331 at approximately 6 p.m. on Tuesday, June 22, between a car and an 18-wheeler resulted in a Highland Home girl being seriously injured.

According to evidence at the scene, a 1999 Nissan Altima driven by Brandy Shea McGough, 16, of Montgomery Highway, Highland Home, entered U.S. Highway 331 from the intersection of New Bethel Church Road as a 2000 Peterbilt tractor-trailer combination was traveling north. The collision occurred on the driver's side of McGough's vehicle, and she was entrapped behind the wheel.

Crenshaw County deputies arriving first on the scene reported that she was conscious but entrapped in the car.

Within minutes of the accident the Highland Home Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department and Honoraville Volunteer Fire Department First Responders were on the scene with Jaws of Life to gain access and extricate McGough from her vehicle. The driver of the truck was uninjured.

McGough was transported by ambulance to Crenshaw Community Hospital, where doctors and nurses worked to stabilize the teen while calling for LifeHeart, an emergency helicopter ambulance based in Navarre, Fla., to transport her to Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola, Fla.

She is the daughter of Raymond McGough of Highland Home and Virginia Moseley of Brantley, and sister of Amanda McGough.

Family members at the hospital expressed their concern during the wait because McGough's level of consciousness was not good. Meanwhile, more than 200 family friends, classmates and teachers of McGough, who will be a senior starting in August, gathered both at the emergency room entrance and front entrance of the hospital to show their care and support.

Doctors explained to the family members that thunderstorms north of Crenshaw County would prevent the helicopter from going to Birmingham, but that they could travel back to West Florida.

At press time on Wednesday, McGough's mother said via telephone that the young girl had gone into a coma, and had suffered a broken arm as well as several internal injuries.

The Alabama Department of Public Safety investigated the accident. According to a spokesperson, no traffic citations were issued in the accident. While the car was totally destroyed in the wreck, the 18-wheeler was not disabled.