A police officer in Lowndes County, Georgia, was killed in a crash with a bobtail semi truck on Saturday evening.
The accident happened around 8:30 p.m. at Cat Creek Road and Norman Hall Road.
The officer was responding to a domestic dispute call and was traveling on Cat Creek Road with his lights and sirens on. That’s when the truck made a right turn from Normal Hall Road onto Cat Creek Road and crossed over the center line, police say.
The deputy then crashed into the truck, causing his vehicle to catch fire.
“The front of the semi crossed the center line of Cat Creek Road into the path of the patrol car,” the Georgia State Police report read. “The patrol car struck the semi on the right front with its front end. After impact, the patrol car rotated counter-clockwise coming to a final uncontrolled rest facing west partially in the northbound lane of Cat Creek Road and the east shoulder. The semi remained in the roadway of Cat Creek road facing east.”
According to the Valdosta Daily Times, the officer was pulled from the vehicle and taken to to South Georgia Medical Center in critical condition. He later died from his injuries. He was identified as 39-year-old Michael Butler.
The truck driver was identified as 29-year-old Robbie J. Register. He was not injured in the incident.