COLUMBUS, Ga. (AP) — An undercover officer with a regional drug task force was killed and another member of the unit seriously injured when their pickup truck crashed in Columbus, authorities said.
Police say the wreck happened as the two agents were on their way to help another officer around 3 p.m. Tuesday.
Columbus police Cpl. Thomas Keith Slay, a 53-year-old officer, died of his injuries at The Medical Center in Columbus, Muscogee County Coroner Buddy Bryan said.
Heath Taylor, the sheriff in nearby Russell County, Ala., said Russell County sheriff's Deputy Brad Evans suffered head injuries in the crash and underwent surgery. The deputy was in critical condition in the intensive care unit Tuesday night, Taylor said.
Both officers were assigned to the multi-agency drug task force and were on an operation at the time of the crash, authorities said.
Slay was driving the unmarked black Ford pickup that had blue lights and sirens activated as the pair headed north on Veterans Parkway to assist another officer in a traffic stop, police said.
Another vehicle entered the pickup's lane and struck it, police said. The impact sent the pickup into a sideways slide, police told The Columbus Ledger-Enquirer reported (http://bit.ly/15tZjkR ). The truck left the road and careened into a power pole, snapping it in half, police said.
"It sounded like a bomb going off," said Alan Brown, who works at a nearby business, Columbus Body Works Northlake. Brown rushed out of the building when he heard the crash and saw a large cloud of dust, he told the Columbus newspaper.
"We are praying for all of the parties involved," Taylor said. "My guy is a young deputy with a young family."
Columbus Mayor Teresa Tomlinson said that Slay "was serving the citizens until the end."
"For that, we are eternally grateful," she said.
Slay had more than 30 years in law enforcement in Columbus, first with the Muscogee County Sheriff's Office, then with the police department. He was also a helicopter pilot.
Besides serving on the drug task force, Slay was the unit's helicopter pilot. He had more than 30 years in law enforcement in Columbus, first with the Muscogee County Sheriff's Office, then with the police department.
"Obviously, this is a devastating time for the families of those lost and injured and for the brethren of officers that served with these men," Columbus Police Chief Ricky Boren said in a statement.
"We ask the entire community to lift Special Agents Slay and Evans up in prayer, as well as their families," Boren said. "We are talking about true public servants and law enforcement officers, and this is just devastating to us all."
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Information from: Columbus Ledger-Enquirer, http://ledger-enquirer.com
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ODMP: Corporal Thomas Keith Slay
Corporal Thomas Keith Slay was killed in an automobile accident while responding to assist another officer. Corporal Slay and another officer were traveling north with lights and siren in an unmarked truck on Veterans Parkway when another vehicle entered their lane and struck their vehicle at approximately 3:00 p.m. The truck left the road and slid sideways, striking a utility pole on the driver's side.
Corporal Slay was transported to The Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead from blunt force trauma. The other officer was critically injured in the wreck. Both officers were assigned to a multi-agency drug task force.
Please contact the following agency to send condolences or to obtain funeral arrangements:
Columbus Police Department
510 10th St
PO Box 1866
Columbus, GA 31902
Read more: http://www.odmp.org/officer/21809-corporal-thomas-keith-slay#ixzz2adyjhruO