BRYAN COUNTY, Ga. — The Georgia Bureau of Investigation began looking into an incident that left one man dead Thursday and an officer injured.
Late Thursday, GBI investigators said a Motor Carrier Compliance Division officer was at a convenience store off Highway 280 near I-16 and witnessed a hit-and-run nearby.
[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]
Officials said the officer followed the car driven by 29-year-old Walter Kyle Herman of Ellabell and pulled him over on the side of the highway. When he approached Herman’s door and spoke with him, he attempted to place handcuffs on him.
When the officer did this, GBI officials said Herman sped off while the officer was still reaching inside the car. As a result, the officer was dragged about one-tenth of a mile.
TRENDING STORIES:
- 1 dead, 4 hospitalized after crash shuts down I-285 EB near Atlanta airport
- ‘The best of the best:’ Family releases statement about mother killed in midtown mass shooting
- Man accused of blowing up DeKalb ATM, stealing over $89K was looking to do it again, complaint says
The car then hit a road sign and began to travel off the roadway down a steep embankment. Authorities said the officer then fired his weapon, causing both he and Herman to fall from the car, which eventually came to a stop.
GBI officials confirmed that Herman died at the scene. The officer was taken to the hospital for his injuries.
Authorities have not said if Herman was shot or if his injuries were from the crash.
The officer’s identity has not been revealed.
The investigation remains ongoing.
[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
IN OTHER NEWS:
This browser does not support the video element.