By By Adam Prestridge – special to the standard
A fiery crash early Monday morning, which is being linked to a high-rate of speed, claimed the lives of two Escambia County area residents.
According to a release issued by the Alabama State Troopers Office, the driver and passenger of a 1993 Chevrolet Corvette were killed after the vehicle left the roadway and struck a power pole on U.S. Highway 31 north near the Atmore Country Club around 12:49 a.m.
Troopers were unable to release the names of the victims pending reports from the Alabama Department of Forensic Science in Mobile, but friends and family of the victims identified the two men as Darwin Eugene Robinson of Walnut Hill, Fla., and Keith Anderson of Brewton.
Several of Robinson's friends gathered in the lot at David's Paint &Body Monday afternoon shocked by the loss of their loved one and in awe of the wreckage that remained.
Vincent Lambert, who was friends with Robinson for 15 years and graduated in 1980 from ECHS, also thought highly of Robinson. He described his fallen friend as a &#8220family guy.”
Lambert said he last spoke to Robinson about a month ago. He never thought it would be his last time to talk to his friend.
Troopers are unsure who the driver of the Corvette was, but eyewitnesses at the scene of the wreck and friends of Robinson, suspect Anderson was the driver of the vehicle.
It is believed that Anderson was killed on impact.
Life Flight transported Robinson to the University of South Alabama Medical Center, where he later died.
The accident is still under investigation by the troopers office.