2016 has the most fatalities for Central Georgia law enforcement in the line of duty, according to data retrieved from the Officer Down Memorial Page.
Of the nine officer deaths in Georgia so far this year, seven are from Central Georgia.
Let’s break that down by year:
Smith was shot and critically injured while answering a domestic disturbance call as back-up for his friend Officer Smarr. Smith was airlifted to Macon where he underwent surgery and was listed in critical condition. Hours after the suspect killed himself, Smith also died in the hospital.
Smarr was shot and killed while responding to a domestic dispute call at an apartment complex just off the campus of Georgia Southwestern State University. A campus officer, Jody Smith, was also shot and critically injured. The suspect died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound the following afternoon.
Carothers was killed in Long County while trying to serve a warrant on a fugitive in south Georgia. He was wanted for attempted murder of police officers in South Carolina. Carothers and the suspect both died at the hospital from the injuries sustained in the shooting.
Smallwood was shot and critically injured in a shootout while responding to a call of a dispute between neighbors with Sgt. Sondron. He was taken to the hospital and put on life support before dying on November 8. The suspect, Ralph Stanley Elrod, was wounded and served with warrants in the killing of the two deputies.
Sondron was shot and killed in a shootout while responding to a call of a dispute between neighbors. The suspect, Ralph Stanley Elrod, was wounded in the shootout and is recovering at the hospital. The case is still under investigation.
Smith was shot and killed while responding to a suspicious person call. The man shot Smith and fled the scene. He was later identified as Royheem Deeds and he was later found in the trunk of the car his sister was driving in Florida. Deeds was indicted on malice and felony murder charges in late September. His sister and her boyfriend were indicted in August on hindering Deeds’ capture.
Freeman was killed in May after a chase. He was assisting an officer in the pursuit when the suspect allegedly rammed into his patrol car. He was taken to the hospital where he later died. Martavius Kinder, the driver, was indicted for the murder of Freeman in July, along with several other charges of vehicular homicide.
2014 – Deputy Michael Norris, Monroe County Sheriff’s Office
Norris died at the hospital in September after being shot while responding to a call about an armed suicidal man. Christopher Calmer is accused of shooting the two responding deputies. He pleaded not guilty and the trail is set for some time in 2017. The state is seeking the death penalty.
2014 -- Officer Noel Hawk, Eatonton Police Department
Hawk died from a heart attack after breaking up a fight at a restaurant. They were placing the two suspects under arrest when he collapsed. CPR was administered at the scene, but Hawk could not be revived.
2010 -- Deputy Richard Daniels, Twiggs County Sheriff's Office
Daniels was killed when his patrol car collided with a fallen tree on U.S. 80. He received a head injury and was pronounced dead at the scene.
2008 -- Deputy Michael Thomas, Bibb County Sheriff's Office
Thomas died in May following a motorcycle accident the month before. He was on patrol on Emery Highway when a pickup truck pulled out in front of him near Lakeside Road. He hit the truck was thrown off his motorcycle.
2007 -- Deputy Chad McDonald, Bibb County Sheriff's Office
McDonald died in December following a car accident. He failed to yield to traffic as he turned onto Highway 247 and his patrol car was hit, causing him to receive a serious head injury.
Whitehead was killed in March while serving a no-knock warrant with the Bibb County Drug Task Force. Antron Fair and Damon Jolly were convicted of killing Whitehead and took plea deals for life in prison without parole. It was Bibb County’s first fallen deputy in 80 years.
