Columbus doctor dies in a head-on crash on the interstate in Opelika, officials say

A Columbus doctor has died following a crash Saturday evening in Lee County, according to Lee County Coroner Daniel Sexton.

Sexton said the crash occurred on I-85 at Exit 62 in Opelika and claimed the life of Dr. Malcolm Goodchild, 50.

Goodchild was pronounced dead at 10:49 p.m. at Piedmont Midtown in Columbus, according to Sexton.

Piedmont confirmed that Goodchild formerly worked at Piedmont Columbus Regional from 2016 to 2023 before establishing his own practice in Columbus named CMG Surgical Specialists LLC.

Goodchild graduated in 2006 from the The Ross University School of Medicine in Dominica, West Indies before completing his surgical residency at The Brooklyn Hospital Center, according to the CMG Surgical Specialists LLC website. He also did a Trauma/Critical Care fellowship at Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center.

What happened in the crash?

Officers responded to the incident and found a Tesla and a Toyota 4Runner which appeared to have crashed head on, according to a Facebook post from the Opelika Police Department.

Police said the driver of the Tesla, Goodchild, died from his injuries and a passenger in the Tesla was in the hospital over the weekend with non-life-threatening injuries, according to the post.

The post said the driver of the 4Runner was also in the hospital with serious injuries.

Police said it appeared the driver of the 4Runner was traveling the wrong way on the exit ramp when they struck the Tesla head on.

The case was under investigation by the Opelika Police Department Traffic Homicide Investigation Unit, according to the post.

Anyone with information on this case can contact the Opelika Police Department at (334) 705-5200 or the Secret Witness Hotline at (334) 745-8665.