Dr. Malcolm Goodchild MD Obituary, Death: Fortson Doctor Malcolm Goodchild Killed In Head-on Interstate 85 Accident in Opelika
The medical community and the Guyanese diaspora are mourning the sudden death of Dr. Malcolm Goodchild, a 50-year-old Guyanese-born U.S. General Surgeon, who tragically lost his life in a two-vehicle accident on Saturday night in Opelika, Alabama.
According to the Opelika Police Department, at approximately 7:17 p.m. on Saturday, emergency services responded to a call regarding a serious collision on Interstate 85. Upon arrival, emergency crews found a Tesla, driven by Dr. Goodchild, and a Toyota 4Runner, which had collided head-on. Dr. Goodchild’s Tesla reportedly burst into flames following the crash.
First responders successfully extracted the occupants from both vehicles and rushed them to nearby hospitals. Dr. Goodchild was airlifted to Piedmont Columbus Regional Hospital in Columbus, Georgia, where he was later pronounced dead. The passenger in Dr. Goodchild’s car remains hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries, while the driver of the Toyota 4Runner is in critical condition.
Preliminary investigations by the Opelika Police Department suggest that the Toyota 4Runner was traveling in the wrong direction on the highway’s exit ramp before crashing into Dr. Goodchild’s Tesla. Authorities are continuing their investigation into the cause of the accident.
Dr. Malcolm Goodchild was well-known for his medical contributions to Guyana, being part of an overseas medical team that traveled to the country annually to perform surgeries in Linden and other regions. Originally from New Amsterdam, Berbice, Dr. Goodchild had made a significant impact both in his homeland and the U.S.
Friends, colleagues, and loved ones have taken to social media to pay tribute, remembering him as a compassionate and dedicated professional who was also a devoted family man. Dr. Goodchild had recently celebrated his 50th birthday in November of last year.
The investigation into the tragic accident is ongoing, and further details are expected to emerge as authorities continue their work.