The small Summerdale community is reeling after the sudden death of Thomas B. Harben, 67, following a two-vehicle collision Friday evening, Nov. 21. According to authorities, Harben’s Jeep Wrangler was struck around 6:30 p.m. at the intersection of Sanborn Avenue and Baldwin County Road 73. He was ejected from his vehicle, pronounced dead at the scene, and it was later revealed he was not wearing a seat belt.
The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) confirmed that the driver of the other vehicle was 56-year-old Nemecio Cruz, also from Summerdale. Cruz was taken to South Baldwin Regional Medical Center, treated, and then arrested upon release — facing a vehicular manslaughter charge for the fatal crash.
For friends, neighbors, and family, Thomas Harben wasn’t defined by this tragic end — he was remembered simply and dearly for who he was: a kind, steady presence in their lives. Those who knew him say he had an easy smile, a soft but persistent willingness to help, and an inner strength that grounded everyone around him. In a community where good-heartedness counts, he stood out.
His family is left to pick up the pieces, grappling with the suddenness of his passing. They talk about him in affectionate tones, recalling daily conversations, quiet acts of care, and moments that now feel priceless. For them, Thomas’s legacy isn’t just in stories — it’s in the love he gave so freely, every day.
Investigations by ALEA’s Highway Patrol Division are ongoing, and while questions remain about exactly how the crash unfolded, for Summerdale, the conversation has already shifted. It’s no longer about what happened — but who Thomas was, and how he will be remembered.
People in the community are coming together in grief. They mourn not just the loss of a neighbor, but of someone who radiated warmth, a friend whose absence will be tangible long after the news fades. In their sorrow, there’s also a fierce determination to remember him well, to honor his life, and to keep his spirit alive through shared stories and acts of kindness.
Though his journey ended too soon, Thomas B. Harben’s memory will carry on in the hearts of those who knew him best. The gentle strength he offered, the quiet generosity he lived by — these will be the lasting echoes of a life well-lived.
