Officer’s death reiterates strict adherence to Mover Over Law - WALB.com, Albany News, Weather, Sports

Officer’s death reiterates strict adherence to Mover Over Law

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By Ashton Pellom - bio | email

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ALBANY, GA (WALB) -

Late Tuesday Evening, Henry County police arrested a suspected hit and run driver they say killed a Henry County police officer who was helping a stranded driver Monday night.

The officer was the third metro Atlanta cop hit in four days.

Now, officials are reminding drivers to move over for emergency vehicles.

Henry County police say 43-year-old Ruben Marin-Garibay hit and killed Henry County officer Elgin McDaniel with his pickup truck and kept driving.

Another man was also hit but survived.

"Him and the cop was standing on the side putting gas in the car, I was standing behind them, next thing you know, I see two bodies flying through the air," said witness Gordon Jarrett.

Dougherty County Police Capt. Tom Jackson says while no DCP officers have been hit in recent years, his officers have more close calls than they would ever want.

"It's very dangerous. It's one of the more dangerous things you can do, besides confronting an armed suspect, is making a traffic stop with flowing traffic," said Capt. Jackson.

Now the department is teaching their officers to be safer in the field by reducing the chance of being hit head on by a car.

"At night or on a busy highway, don't approach a vehicle on the driver's side, but walk around to the passenger side and retrieve any information on that side of the vehicle for safety," said Capt. Jackson.

Capt. Jackson says another issue cops are facing on the road is drivers waiting too long to move over for emergency vehicles.

The closer you get to these pulled over vehicles, the more danger you put cops and other drivers in.

"Just about any lights you see on any emergency vehicle now can be seen up to half a mile away, that's when you need to start moving over, not waiting to the last minute to move over because that's what's happening," said Capt. Jackson.

So the next time you see another emergency vehicle on the road, move over. Remember, it's the law.

If you're cited for violating the Move Over Law, it could cost you three points on your license and a fine up to $500.

 

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