Authorities in rural Alabama plan to press charges of murder against a man accused of shooting and killing a Georgia fire chief. The incident occurred on Sunday night when the fire chief approached the man’s home to aid a stranded driver on the road.
A driver had struck a deer and found themselves unable to reach out for assistance due to weak cell phone reception, as reported by CBS News affiliate WRBL. James Bartholomew Cauthen, a 54-year-old fire chief from Coweta County Fire in Georgia, happened to be working on a nearby property that he either owned or maintained. Upon spotting the stranded driver and their spouse, Cauthen and the driver jointly decided to seek help from another residence in the vicinity, as per WRBL’s account.
According to the Chambers County Sheriff’s Office, William Randall Franklin is said to have emerged from the residence as Cauthen and the driver approached and proceeded to shoot at both individuals. It is worth noting that this incident occurred in a remote location in Alabama, within Chambers County, where the traffic accident and subsequent shooting occurred.
According to the sheriff, Franklin, who is currently hospitalized, will be arrested for murder once he is released. Arrest warrants were issued on Monday.
Coweta County Fire Rescue expressed deep sorrow and grief over the tragic loss of Cauthen, a dedicated member of their team for over 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.”
