Georgia Woman Injured in Hit-and-Run Involving Off Duty Police Officer
When one hears of a police officer at the scene of a car accident, one generally thinks of a first responder to the crash. Perhaps the last thing on someone’s mind is that an officer of the law could be capable of causing an accident and then fleeing in an attempt to hide from the crash scene. However, for one now-former Georgia police officer, this appears to be what happened when he became involved in a car accident.
On April 21, a 77-year-old woman was driving down a road in Perry when an off-duty police officer’s Dodge pickup rear-ended her Oldsmobile. He then was said to have driven his truck over a median and parked in a nearby field, thereafter fleeing on foot. While the precise cause of the crash is as yet uncertain, the a passenger in the former cop’s truck claims that the man had been drinking beforehand and was afraid to face any potential consequences. Due to the collision, the 77-year-old woman in the Oldsmobile sustained neck and back injuries.
Instead of sticking around to assist in the investigation and help the injured woman, the officer reportedly ran away. He was apprehended and arrested on April 24, and faces several charges. After he was arrested, the accused man resigned from the Jones County Sheriff’s Office.
Normally, one would expect an officer of the law to uphold the law, not try to wiggle out of it. Because of this, he may have to face steeper criminal penalties if he is convicted, as well as further legal troubles in the form of a personal injury lawsuit by the victim. Victims of a car accident in Georgia that suffer injuries due to negligence of another may be able to recover monetary damages from any at-fault party. A successful claim may help with any medical bills and other damages, including pain and suffering related to the injuries sustained.
Source: 13 WMAZ, “Former Jones Deputy Charged With Hit-and-Run,” Pansy Hall, April 26, 2012