Update:
We may be in the dark until the investigation is complete. But witnesses and other law enforcement agencies are shedding some light on what happened and what's standard protocol for law enforcement when they're responding to a call.
When Officer Gary Price blew through an intersection and slammed into a pickup truck Saturday he was responding to a call with his blue lights on, but not his siren.
Dougherty County Police Chief Don Cheek says there are few occasions when officers use their lights without their sirens.
"When we're responding to something where we want to be able to catch somebody in the act and we have no reason to believe that any body's life is in immediate danger. We may cut the siren off then, but then it is even more incumbent on us to make sure that we've stopped and yielded to traffic if we're going to go against a traffic control signal," said Cheek.
We don't know the nature of the call to which Price was responding. Police refuse to talk about this case at all.
But witnesses give an unwavering account of what they saw. Witnesses say Price ran a red light and was driving with his blue lights flashing, but no sirens.
"He didn't stop or slow down at all until he actually hit them," said Joanne Parker, who was parked on Jefferson Street when the crash happened.
Georgia code 40-6-6 states that, "the driver of an authorized emergency vehicle or law enforcement vehicle may, proceed past a red or stop signal or stop sign, but only after slowing down as may be necessary for safe operation."
Chief Cheek says the policy for their department is drafted under this mandate.
"We are required if we go through an intersection against traffic control devices, or stop signs or a red light, we're required to yield to any traffic. To slow down, to stop to make sure it's safe to go through that intersection," explained Cheek.
Price was cited a red light violation pending the accident review board. The Albany city manager says since the day of the crash Price has been on administrative status, which is protocol when an officer is involved in a wreck.
The Albany city manager didn't give a quote, but said that they will release information to the public once the investigation is finished.
This was the fourth crash connected to Officer Gary Price. They have caused a total of ten injuries and two deaths.
The families of the two people killed in that high speed chase involving Officer Price in 2007 are amazed that he was still driving a police vehicle.
Delinda Bryant is the mother of Bobby Jones.
Jones was running from Price when he collided head on with 21 year-old Billy Klewitz, who was on his way home from work.
Jones and Klewitz were both killed.
"He should have been fired when the two young men died the first time. He shouldn't of even been allowed back on the force I think at that time. So we way past point. How many people got to get hurt before somebody come to the realization that this man is out of control," said Bryant.
She says she hopes this latest crash gets Price off the streets for good.
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Albany Police Officer Gary Price, who streaked through a red light and slammed into a truck Saturday, is off the streets for now. Price, who was ticketed for running a red light, is on desk duty.
The Saturday crash was the 4th that Price has had a hand in. There were three previous crashes that involved high speed chases by Price. One of those crashes killed two people.
In Saturday's crash, Price was responding to a call with his blue lights on, but no siren. A witness says he never slowed at the intersection before he hit a pickup truck.
"Under Georgia code we're allowed to exceed speed limits, we're allowed to disregard traffic control devices, whether a posted sign or flashing signals or traffic control lights, as long as we use do regard for public safety," Chief Don Cheek, Dougherty County Police Dept.
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