LOWNDES COUNTY, GA — Law enforcement agencies across South Georgia are mourning the loss of Hahira Police Officer Caleb Abney, who was struck and killed during a traffic stop on Interstate 75 early Thursday morning.
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The 25-year-old officer lived his life protecting and serving the public before his life was cut short in the line of duty.
According to the Georgia State Patrol, Abney was sitting in his marked patrol vehicle with emergency lights activated during a traffic stop near mile marker 31 when a driver traveling nearly 100 miles per hour slammed into the rear of his car. The impact pushed Abney's vehicle into the car he had pulled over.
Georgia State Trooper First Class Nasier Vasquez, who worked the same stretch of Interstate 75, explained the dangers officers face in that area.
"When I found out there was an officer from Hahira, I immediately knew where they were at. Hahira has a very small portion of the Interstate that they work, and we've worked it heavily. When I worked there, I knew it would be stop one, go, decide, stop another," Vasquez said.
Vasquez says the loss was especially hard because officers like Abney made all the difference in their work.
"He was a guy who was a big supporter of what we did, the state patrol. He was always willing to help, always willing to back us up if we needed any assistance, and he would check with us to see if we needed that assistance," Vasquez said.
The impact of Abney's death has been felt throughout South Georgia agencies, with the Lowndes County Sheriff's Office and his former post at Lowndes County Fire Rescue sharing their condolences.
"When we lose a brother in blue, it's important to us, he's family," one officer said.
The loss was felt all the way at the State Capitol, where Lowndes County State Representative Dexter Sharper says lawmakers paused during session at the Georgia General Assembly to honor Abney.
"My heart goes out to them. When you're working with somebody you know every day as your partner or you know the same law enforcement department, you know it. It weighs on them," Sharper said.
State Senator Russ Goodman also called for a moment of silence on the Senate floor to honor Abney Thursday.
As fellow officers and family prepare to pay Abney their final respects, the Georgia State Patrol continues investigating what led up to the fatal crash.
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