Tree Falls On Patrol Car And Crushes It, Killing Veteran Cop Instantly

Spalding County, Georgia -- A Georgia deputy with more than 25 years of law enforcement experience was killed when a pine tree fell and crushed his vehicle.

The Spalding County Sheriff’s Office deputy, Jamie Reynolds, was heading east on Georgia Highway 16 when the large pine tree fell on his patrol car just east of Shoal Creek Road, according to the Sacramento Bee.

“The tree crushed the passenger compartment of the vehicle, killing Deputy Reynolds instantly,” Sheriff Darrell Dix said in a statement released by the Spalding County Sheriff's Office.

First responders arrived and Reynolds was eventually pronounced dead at the scene. The deputy is survived by his wife, stepson and stepdaughter.

“He was a great guy who loved his family, had a deep faith, worked hard, and always brought you solutions, not problems,” the sheriff added in the statement.

Officials “notified his wife and children of the tragedy at their home,” Dix added.

Reynolds began his career in law enforcement in 1995. He joined the Spalding County Sheriff’s Office in January 2021 and recently worked in the Office of Professional Standards.

The deceased deputy left a mark in the short time he spent with the Spalding County Sheriff, Dix said.

"He was only here for a short time, but his handprints and fingerprints are all of this building," Dix told 11Alive.

Describing Reynolds as a great listener, the sheriff added, "He had a lot of experience, he had been a police chief and a lot of people sought him for counsel.”

The sheriff’s office noted that they were working with Reynolds' family through the tragic loss.

"I met with them yesterday morning to tell them what had happened," Dix told the outlet. "They are a very strong family ... we have officers that are going to be working with them over the next few days to help them get over this hump. We're going to be with them from now on because Jamie was part of our family here, and we're going to do everything we can to honor him and help them at the same time."

Dix said there has been an “outpouring of love and support for Jamie and his family” since the accident.

Officials will also have his name added to a monument in front of the sheriff's office.

"He was that guy everybody loved, everybody cared about. He always took time to talk to people here and across the community," Dix told the outlet. "He will leave a hole here that just can't be filled."