Police Officer Killed in Tragic Crash on Interstate 85 in Franklin County, Georgia (GA)

FRANKLIN COUNTY, GA- Foxcarolina.com writes that a police officer lost his life when responding to a crash scene on Interstate 85. The tragic incident led to charges against the driver who struck the deputy.*

The crash occurred when the roadway was wet, and cars were traveling in both directions had hydroplaned. The 53-year-old officer arrived at the scene of an earlier accident during the evening and was assisting the victims of that incident. The victim was outside of his car when another driver lost control of his 2018 Honda Accord and traveled onto the median where he struck the officer. 

Responders transported the severely injured deputy to the St. Mary’s Sacred Heart Hospital in Lavonia. Reports indicate that the officer died a short while later. 

The victim served with the Franklin County Sherriff’s Office for a little over one year. 

The driver who struck the deputy was identified as a 21-year-old man. The authorities filed charges against the young man, including homicide by vehicle. Other charges will likely follow. 

The Georgia State Patrol is carrying out the investigation, and a reconstruction team is working to understand the crash. 

The sheriff’s office expressed condolences over the loss, as did the local mayor and firefighters. 

Motor vehicle incidents are the number one killer of police officers in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Based on statistics, some of the dangers faced by police officers include speeding, distracted driving, and failing to use a seatbelt. On average, one or more officers are killed in traffic incidents nationally every week.

Accident News is a safety and education initiative from Montlick & Associates, designed to help people better understand and thereby avoid common accident causes.  To learn more about our injury prevention programs, including iridesafe.com - click here. We hope you are never in an accident, but if you or a family member are injured, call Montlick & Associates 24/7 for your free consultation at 1-800-LAW-NEED (1-800-529-6333) or use our live chat at Montlick.com.

Sources:

https://www.foxcarolina.com/news/state-police-driver-charged-after-striking-killing-franklin-co-deputy-on-i-85/article_305c74ee-ca31-11ea-b573-efd0450805b4.html

https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/leo/default.html