On a tragic afternoon in October, the life of a beloved Birmingham woman was cut short in a violent collision on Interstate 59/20 near Bessemer. Angela Strickland Lockhart, a 70-year-old female, was fatally injured on October 7, 2024, when a vehicle fleeing from Bessemer police veered across the median and crashed head-on into her car. The incident occurred around 1:17 p.m. as the other driver was attempting to elude law enforcement.
Emergency responders worked to extricate Lockhart from the wreckage, and she was rushed to UAB Hospital. Despite their efforts, she was pronounced dead later that day at 5:16 p.m.
The driver of the fleeing vehicle was identified as 31-year-old Christopher L. Moore. He also sustained injuries in the crash and was transported for medical treatment. The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency has taken charge of the investigation into the fatal crash. Authorities are continuing to piece together the events that led to the police pursuit and the subsequent collision that claimed an innocent life.
In the wake of the devastating event, Christopher Lavon Moore was taken into custody. He was booked into the Jefferson County Jail in Bessemer on January 22, 2025. He is facing a charge of reckless murder in connection with the death of Angela Lockhart.
Angela, born on May 26, 1954, in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, was a dedicated social worker, having earned her bachelor's degree from the University of Tennessee and a master's degree from the University of Alabama. She was a cherished wife of 47 years to her husband, Dwight, a loving mother to her children, Lauren and Trevor, and a doting grandmother to Skylar Smith. Her sudden and tragic death has left her family, including her mother, Jo Frances, and her siblings, Scott and Windy Strickland, as well as a wide circle of friends and colleagues, to mourn her loss. A visitation and funeral service were held to honor her memory at Jennings Chapel Church, followed by her burial at the adjoining cemetery.
