Alabama Jury Convicts Man in 2020 Trucker's Fatal Beating

Key Details Charles Levester Gipson, 44, was convicted on March 18, 2026, of manslaughter in the death of truck driver Christine Summers, 53. The incident occurred on August 19, 2020, near mile marker 118 on I-59/20 in the Birmingham area. Gipson was also convicted of assaulting two police officers while in custody. What Happened Summers, a 30-year veteran driver with RTR Transportation, pulled off the interstate after believing she hit someone in the roadway. She was on the phone with her husband and called 911 before exiting her truck to investigate. A 911 dispatcher heard her yell "get away from me!" before the attack. Another truck driver discovered her body around 3:20 a.m. with fatal head injuries. Why It Matters Gipson was originally charged with murder but pleaded not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect. The jury found him guilty of the lesser charge of manslaughter because evidence showed he was under the influence of drugs at the time. He was arrested by Hueytown Police around 4:30 a.m. after witnesses reported a nude man on the roadway. Sentencing is scheduled for July 27, 2026.