Officers trying to figure out how security guard was hit, killed crossing road

MILTON, Ga. — Milton police are piecing together what led a driver to hit and kill a security guard.

The incident happened Oct. 8, but police were back on New Providence Road near the Atlanta National community Thursday, measuring the road as part of their investigation.

“We saw a couple of cops doing a survey, a re-creating of the accident,” said Christian Archambeault, who was working in the neighborhood.

Police told Channel 2's Mike Petchenik they got a call about a single-car accident, and when they arrived, they found Thomas Herbert Joe, 69, dead.

“I think it looks like he was trying to cross the street,” said Milton police Capt. Charles Barstow.

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Friends told Petchenik that Joe was working his typical third shift in the guard shack when he saw a car pull up to the gate at the unmanned shack across the street.

They said he went to assist the other driver, and when he was crossing the street, the car hit him.

“In a case like this, there’s an accident reconstruction that takes place. There’s measurements that involve shutting down the road and taking those measurements,” said Barstow. “We also have to wait for toxicology reports and anything else that might be related to the investigation before we move forward.”

A neighbor posted a picture of police reconstructing the accident on Thursday and referred to Joe as the “sweet gate guard” and asked for prayers for Joe’s family, friends and colleagues.

Cox Media Group