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Authorities in rural Alabama say they will charge a man with murder for allegedly shooting and killing a Georgia fire chief, who approached his home Sunday night while trying to assist a driver stranded in the road.
The driver had hit a deer and couldn’t call for help because of poor cell phone service, CBS News affiliate WRBL reported. James Bartholomew Cauthen, a 54-year-old fire chief with Coweta County Fire in Georgia, was working outside on a nearby property, which he either owned or maintained, when he noticed the stranded driver and his wife, according to the station. Seeking additional support, Cauthen and the driver decided to approach another residence in the area, WRBL reported.
William Randall Franklin allegedly stepped outside that residence as Cauthen and the driver approached and opened fire on both men, the Chambers County Sheriff’s Office said. Chambers County includes the remote Alabama location where the traffic accident and shooting took place.
All three suffered gunshot wounds in the shootout, according to the sheriff’s office. The driver was apparently armed and returned fire, wounding Franklin, WRBL reported, citing investigators in the case. Cauthen had already succumbed to his injuries when deputies arrived at the scene, the sheriff said. The driver and Franklin were transported to medical centers for treatment, and WRBL reported both are expected to recover.
The sheriff said arrest warrants for murder were issued Monday for Franklin, who was hospitalized and would be taken into custody once released.
Coweta County Fire Rescue said they were “devastated by the tragic passing” of Cauthen, who had worked at the department for more than 24 years.
“He was an amazing, hard-working man with a gentle soul,” the fire department said in a statement. “Just like many of you, we have many questions as we navigate through this horrible tragedy. Our hearts and prayers go out to Cauthen’s family, friends and our brothers and sisters in the Fire Rescue family who worked closely with him.”
