In the early morning hours of November 20, 2021, the life of 19-year-old Amari Deonte King, a Black/African American male, was tragically cut short in Montevallo, Alabama. A recent graduate of Montevallo High School, Amari was a freshman at the University of Montevallo, just beginning to embark on his college journey. He was known to have a love for God from an early age and was a member of Shiloh Baptist Church in his hometown.
Just after midnight, Amari was a passenger in a vehicle being driven by 18-year-old Bryan Cortes. They were traveling on Shelby County Road 17, near Pintaro Drive, when the car veered off the roadway and crashed into a tree. Amari sustained fatal injuries in the wreck. Two other passengers in the vehicle were also injured and subsequently transported to UAB Hospital for medical treatment.
The investigation into the fatal crash led to the arrest of the driver, Bryan Cortes. Authorities determined that Cortes was operating the vehicle under the influence of alcohol at the time of the incident. In connection with the death of Amari King, Cortes was charged with reckless murder. The case brought to light the devastating consequences of impaired driving and left a profound impact on the Montevallo community, which mourned the loss of a promising young man.
