Correction: Original story mentioned fire chief was from Alabama. It has been updated to read Georgia.
No good deed goes unpunished is the saying. A Georgia fire chief is dead after stopping to help a driver who hit a deer in Alabama. The fire official was in the middle of helping the stranded motorist when both were shot.
A homeowner opened fire on the two on Sunday night. At the time, Coweta County Fire Battalion Chief James Bartholomew Cauthen and the stranded driver were walking up the driveway. They were looking for help from the homeowner when they were both shot. Authorities have accused William Randall Franklin of shooting the pair.
The Chambers County Sheriff's Office said in a news release that authorities pronounced the Georgia fire chief dead. Meanwhile, the driver is expected to survive his injuries.
The release said, "Following up our earlier release........The deceased victim is identified as James Bartholomew Cauthen, 54 years of age from Moreland, Georgia. Mr. Cauthen was a Battalion Fire Chief with Coweta County Fire. Our hearts and prayers go out to Coweta County for his loss. Early investigation indicates that Chief Cauthen was attempting to assist individuals that had struck a deer while traveling on County Road 267. Another individual (William Randall Franklin) that resided in the area opened fire on Chief Cauthen and the individual that struck the deer. All individuals were injured during the shootout. Chief Cauthen succumbed to his injuries prior to deputies arriving on the scene. Arrest warrants for Murder have been issued for William Randall Franklin. He will be arrested upon release from Piedmont Medical Center."
Georgia Fire Chief Shot And Killed
Additionally, authorities say the alleged gunman got injured after getting in a shoot-out with the men. At the time, the fire official and driver approached the home because neither had cell service. Following his passing, his coworkers mourned the death of the fallen fire chief.
"Coweta County Fire Rescue continues to be devastated by the tragic passing of Battalion Chief Bart Cauthen," the department said in a statement on Monday."Cauthen has been with our department for more than 24 years. He was an amazing, hard-working man with a gentle soul."
"This was an exceptional call that nobody could have been prepared for," the sheriff's office said on Facebook. "Our first deputy on the scene thought he was pulling up on a simple deer wreck. Instead, he found 3 individuals with gunshot wounds. Nothing could've prepared him for that."
Correction: Original story mentioned fire chief was from Alabama. It has been updated to read Georgia.
