26-year-old man killed, after his car, driving north on the southbound lanes of I-59 near Rainbow City, collides head-on with a tractor-trailer, who's driver was not seriously injured.

A Rainbow City man is dead after authorities say he drove his car north in the southbound lane of Interstate 59 early this morning.

The Etowah County Deputy Coroner said authorities received a call of a reckless driver on the interstate at 2:27 a.m. today, driving in the wrong direction. Then, at 2:51 a.m., a wreck occurred at the Pleasant Valley overpass near mile marker 178 on Interstate 59.

A Volkswagen Jetta, driven by a 26-year-old Rainbow City man, collided head-on with an 18-wheeler, Head said. The Jetta traveled 300 feet from point of impact and landed in the median, while the 18-wheeler traveled 510 feet from the impact zone and came to rest in roadside brush, the coroner said.

The driver of the Jetta was killed, but his name has not yet been released. The driver of the 18-wheeler was not seriously injured, the coroner said.