Authorities ID woman who died after falling off minivan during argument with another woman in McCalla

Authorities have released the name of a woman who died when she fell from a moving vehicle following an argument in McCalla Friday afternoon.

The Jefferson County Coroner’s Office on Monday identified the woman as Ebony Denise Dawson. She was 36 and lived in McCalla.

The investigation began about 2:30 p.m. when Jefferson County sheriffs’ deputies responded to a report of a pedestrian struck by a minivan in the 5800 block of Old Huntsville Road, said sheriff’s Lt. Joni Money.

When deputies and McCalla Fire medics arrived, they found Dawson unresponsive in the roadway. She was pronounced dead on the scene at 2:34 p.m.

Investigators soon discovered the woman had not been struck by a vehicle.

They learned, Money said, that Dawson and another woman had gotten into a verbal altercation at a residence.

The second woman got into a minivan that was at the home and tried to leave.

As the van began to drive off, Money said, Dawson jumped onto the side of the moving vehicle. She lost her footing and fell.

Dawson sustained fatal head trauma. The second woman remained on the scene.

Money said sheriff’s detectives are investigating the circumstances surrounding the death.