A Georgia deputy was killed early Thursday when he was run over by a police car during the pursuit of a stolen vehicle across the state line into Alabama, authorities said.
Coweta County Deputy Sheriff Eric Minix was involved in the multi-agency, high-speed chase that began in Georgia and continued into Chambers County, Alabama, along Interstate 85, according to the sheriff’s office and the Lanett Police Department in Alabama.
A Lanett police officer struck Minix during the apprehension of the suspect, the department said.
Minix was rushed to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead, according to the sheriff’s office.
Coweta County Deputy Eric Minix was struck and killed by a police car during the apprehension of a suspect who led multiple law enforcement agencies on a high-speed chase from Georgia into Alabama early Thursday. (Coweta County Sheriffs Office)
“We have lost a good deputy. We have lost a good man. We have lost a good friend,” the sheriff’s office wrote in a statement on Facebook.
Minix was described as a “dedicated” deputy and K-9 officer who was “a friend to everyone who knew him.” The deputy is survived by his wife and three daughters.
Coweta County Deputy Eric Minix, center, is pictured with Alex Smith and Radford Brooks in June 2021, as the sheriff’s office welcomes them to its Patrol Division. (Coweta County Sheriff’s Office)
NEW YORK STATE TROOPERS FATALLY SHOOT SUSPECT ON MAJOR HIGHWAY
The suspect, who was not publicly identified, was taken into custody at the scene of the deadly crash. The circumstances leading up to the high-speed chase were unclear.
The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency is leading the investigation into the incident.
The Lanett officer who struck Minix was not immediately identified, though officials said the officer has been put on administrative leave during the investigation.