BAY MINETTE, Alabama — The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) got an early start to the Memorial Day weekend, reporting a fatality early Friday morning in Baldwin County.

Robert Walter Hiatt, 53, of Wilmer died Friday, May 26, as a result of injuries sustained in a single-vehicle crash near the 43-mile marker of Interstate 65, approximately 12 miles north of Bay Minette.

Hiatt was seriously injured when the 2007 Volvo tractor trailer he was driving left the roadway and struck a tree before catching fire. The incident was reported at 4:50 a.m. Friday, according to an ALEA release.

Hiatt was transported to USA Medical Center where he was pronounced dead a short time later.

During the official Memorial Day holiday travel period – between 6 a.m. Friday, May 26 and midnight Monday, May 29 – Alabama State Troopers investigated a total of four traffic fatalities, less than half of the 11 traffic fatalities Troopers investigated in 2016 for the same extended holiday, according to a release issued Tuesday by the ALEA.

Troopers also investigated two boating fatalities, compared with zero boating fatalities for the previous year’s holiday period.

The traffic crashes, which involved three drivers and one passenger, occurred in Baldwin, Conecuh, Jefferson and Tuscaloosa counties. Three of the four individuals killed were not using seat belts, according to the release. Alcohol involvement is not available as Troopers continue to investigate the crashes.

In addition, Marine Patrol Troopers investigated two boating fatalities, which involved a man and his 3-year-old son using a kayak in Cleburne County. Neither of them was wearing a personal flotation device at the time of the incident.

“Although the number of traffic fatalities over Memorial Day weekend was much lower than during the extended holiday in 2016, traffic fatalities for the year are up from this time in 2016,” Acting Secretary of Law Enforcement Hal Taylor said. “As of Monday, May 29, Troopers have investigated 27 more traffic fatalities this year than in 2016, bringing that number to 264 so far in 2017. We are dedicated to reversing this deadly trend, but we need assistance from you, the motoring public.”

The holiday travel period has concluded, but Troopers will continue to participate in Click It Or Ticket, a national safety campaign promoting seat-belt usage, through Sunday, June 4. Everyone is reminded to use seat belts no matter how short the trip, as well as to use PFDs while on the water.