Two Morgan County Sheriff’s Office vehicles were severely damaged after being struck by an SUV while the deputies were attempting to render aid to a stranded motorist near milepost 114.5 on I-20 May 25.
Deputy Cameron Ptak said he stopped to check on a stranded motorist whose Tesla EV had run out of power and stopped in the emergency lane. Several good Samaritans had also stopped to offer help.
Sgt. Christopher Lash heard about the situation over the radio and decided to assist Ptak.
Both deputies noticed that many of the drivers passing by were not obeying Georgia’s move-over law and were coming dangerously close to hitting the deputies and other citizens.
Lash said a Tesla service truck was on the scene attempting to charge the Tesla’s battery to get it to the next exit. The Tesla technician told Lash that a vehicle with a trailer had already sideswiped the Tesla and damaged his charging cable.
Lash had positioned his vehicle behind the Tesla. Still, under the circumstances, he decided to move it partially into the right lane with its emergency lights flashing to provide a safe space for the service technician and deputies.
A few minutes later, Ptak said he heard what sounded like an explosion and saw an airborne SUV heading toward him and several citizens. The SUV had struck Lash’s patrol vehicle and was now rolling toward Ptak and the bystanders.
According to the report, Ptak heard screaming as he ran toward the guard rail for cover.
The SUV crashed to the pavement and struck Ptak’s vehicle before resting upside down.
No injuries were reported from flying debris or the SUV.
Both deputies went to the SUV to render aid but could not see inside because all its airbags had deployed. They were attempting to break a window when the driver’s side rear door opened, and a 4-year-old boy and his mother climbed out.
The boy did not appear injured, and while the mother had sustained some scratches, she otherwise appeared unhurt.
Both lanes of traffic were closed while deputies, Madison police officers, and Georgia State Patrol units sorted out the scene.
Morgan County EMS arrived, but the woman refused medical treatment.
She asked Ptak if someone was stopped in the road, and he told her she had collided with two marked patrol vehicles that were stopped with emergency lights flashing and approximately three miles of sight distance.
Ptak noted in his report that if Lash had not moved his vehicle partially into the roadway when he did, the distracted driver might have hit both deputies and several citizens.