WILCOX COUNTY, Ga. — The Wilcox County Sheriff's Office released a statement on Wednesday after Sheriff Robert Rodgers died in a car accident on Tuesday.
They say Rodgers' family is asking the public to donate to the Georgia Sheriffs' Youth Homes Foundation instead of sending flowers.
Major Mitchell Thompson says local and surrounding agencies are assisting the Wilcox County Sheriff's Office with answering calls while they mourn the loss of their "beloved leader and friend."
Rodgers was driving on Highway 233 en route to a domestic call when his car hit a tree near Matthews Road.
The Georgia State Patrol says that Rodgers lost control of his car, striking a tree and the vehicle came to rest on the driver’s side.
Rodgers most recently ran for re-election in 2020, and he was first elected sheriff in 2016, according to his re-election Facebook page.
"Just a terrible tragedy. This whole county's going to mourn a long time over this," said Lenny Brown, who was friends with Rodgers.
Brown drove by the scene around 7:40 p.m. He just spoke with Rodgers last week.
"Best sheriff you could ask for. He helped everybody. He helped people that weren't even from here," Brown said.
Sheriff Rodgers even helped Brown's son get into the military.
"[I] had a letter of recommendation. Robert wrote him one. I still have the letter at the house," Brown said.
He says Rodgers was a special kind of person who just wanted the best for his community. He says Wilcox County will miss Sheriff Rodgers deeply.
"He always helped me and everybody else, you know," Brown said.
Brown says he's going to remember Sheriff Rodgers as someone who was there for anyone at any time, whenever they needed him. He believes a lot of people around Wilcox County will do the same.
Funeral arrangements for Sheriff Robert Rodgers will be announced when preparations are finalized, the statement says.