A tragic incident unfolded in Alabama when a Georgia fire chief, who was attempting to assist a couple that had hit a deer with their car, was fatally shot in an alleged altercation with a local resident. The fire chief, identified as 54-year-old James Bartholomew “Bart” Cauthen, served as the Battalion Chief of Coweta County Fire Rescue in Georgia. He was one of three individuals injured in the incident, which also involved the driver of the car that hit the deer and the alleged shooter, 33-year-old William Randall Franklin.
The incident occurred on January 19 around 5 p.m., according to the Chambers County Sheriff’s Department. The couple had hit a deer on County Road 267 and had pulled over. Cauthen, who owned property nearby and was on his way back to Georgia, noticed the couple and stopped to offer assistance. Due to poor cellphone service in the remote area, the driver and Cauthen approached a nearby house to seek help, as reported by local CBS affiliate WBRL.
The Chambers County police reported that Franklin, the resident of the house, allegedly began shooting at Cauthen and the driver as they approached his property. The driver, who was also armed, reportedly returned fire. Cauthen was fatally wounded in the exchange and was pronounced dead at the scene. Both Franklin and the driver sustained injuries and were transported to separate trauma centers for treatment. The driver’s wife, who had remained in the car, was unharmed.
Cauthen’s colleagues at the fire station paid tribute to him on Facebook, describing him as an “amazing, hard-working man with a gentle soul.” They expressed their grief and extended their condolences to Cauthen’s family and friends, as well as to their fellow firefighters who had worked closely with him.
Neighbors described Franklin as a “paranoid schizophrenic,” according to WBRL, although this diagnosis has not been confirmed by the police. Following treatment at Piedmont Columbus Regional hospital in Columbus, Georgia, Franklin was arrested on January 20 and booked into the Muscogee County Jail. He is expected to be extradited to Chambers County, Alabama, where he will face murder charges.