Georgia Fire Chief Shot Dead After Stopping to Help Couple Who Hit Deer with Their Car: Police

Mar. 15, 2025

Battalion Chief Bart Cauthen was shot dead.Photo:Coweta County Fire Rescue Facebook (2)

Coweta County Fire Rescue Facebook (2)

A Georgia fire chief has been fatally shot after stopping to help a couple who struck a deer with their car in Alabama.

Coweta County Battalion Fire Chief James Bartholomew Cauthen was found dead and two others injured with gunshot wounds in the Stroud neighborhood at around 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 19, the Chambers County Alabama Sheriff’s Office said in anews release.

Police were responding to a traffic accident involving a deer when they found the three victims, per the release. “Early investigation indicates that Chief Cauthen was attempting to assist individuals that had struck a deer while traveling on County Road 267,” the sheriff’s office said.

According to authorities, per the release, local resident William Randall Franklin allegedly “opened fire on Chief Cauthen and the individuals that struck the deer,” injuring all three.

Coweta County Fire Rescue Facebook

A subsequentupdate from the Sheriff’s Officerevealed that Cauthen was 54-years-old and was from Moreland, Georgia. “Our hearts and prayers go out to Coweta County for his loss,” added the authorities.

“Chief Cauthen attempted to cross the street but collapsed in a ditch and succumbed to his injuries before deputies arrived,” the outlet reported.

Coweta County Fire Rescue.Coweta County Fire Rescue Facebook

A warrant was issued for Franklin and he will be arrested upon release from Piedmont Medical Center, police said.

Police are asking anyone with information relating to this case to contact the Criminal Investigations Division at (334)864-4333.

Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up forPEOPLE’s free True Crime newsletterfor breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.

PEOPLE did not immediately hear back from the Chambers County Alabama Sheriff’s Office when an update was requested.

source: people.com