Fayette | News

Crash involving sheriff's wife will be reviewed

Thu, 01/28/2010 - 12:04pm
By: John Munford

Use of lights, sirens for burglar alarm calls not typical

Sheriff's Capt. Deborah Hannah was responding to a burglar alarm at her own home Wednesday afternoon when her vehicle collided with another car, officials confirmed today.

The crash injured both Capt. Hannah, the driver of the car and the driver's 4-year-old daughter, though their injuries were reportedly not life-threatening.

The driver of the other vehicle was as Danielle Mask, 29, of Fayetteville, who also had her 4-year-old daughter in a booster seat, officials said.

Mask was taken to Atlanta Medical Center and her daughter was taken to Scottish Rite Children’s Medical Center; Hannah was transported to Piedmont Fayette Hospital.

The crash is being investigated by the Georgia State Patrol, a standard move for any wreck involving a sheriff's vehicle, officials said. Sheriff's officials said that Mask's vehicle for some reason pulled into the path of Capt. Hannah's vehicle at the intersection of South Jeff Davis Drive and Helen Sams Parkway, and Capt. Hannah was unable to avoid it.

Sheriff's officials have said Capt. Hannah was responding to the call with her vehicle's lights and sirens activated. But Hannah's supervisor acknowledged today that generally deputies do not respond to burglar alarm calls with lights and sirens unless there is an indication that the burglar is still on the scene or in the area.

Sheriff's Maj. Bryan Woodie said the question of whether to use lights and sirens responding to a burglar alarm is not addressed in the department's standard operating procedures.

Woodie said the crash will be reviewed by a five-member accident review board which meets monthly and evaluates whether auto accidents were preventable and whether any policy violations occurred.

That committee hands down a punishment if necessary in each case, Woodie noted. He guessed that because the wreck is being investigated by GSP, the sheriff's office would wait until that report is done before the accident will be reviewed by the panel.

Normally any appeal of the accident review board's decision would be heard by the sheriff, but because Capt. Hannah is the wife of Sheriff Wayne Hannah, it's likely the sheriff will ask someone outside the department to hear such an appeal if one is made.

Capt. Hannah is in charge of youth services for the sheriff's department which includes the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) instructors and school resource officers. Her unit is under the patrol division headed by Maj. Woodie.

The sheriff's department sent out a news release about the crash less than three hours after it occurred, but the release did not mention that Capt. Hannah was responding to a burglar alarm at her own home.

login to post comments

Comment viewing options

Select your preferred way to display the comments and click "Save settings" to activate your changes.
A Few Random Thoughts on This
Submitted by fayettenative on Sun, 01/31/2010 - 11:05am.

Several thoughts have been rolling around in my head since I heard this story.

First of all, how is "by the book" Hannah going to handle this? I'm sure there is some loop hole somewhere that says he won't have to take disciplinary actions against his wife.

Next, have you driven down S. Jeff Davis recently? Have you ever pulled onto S. Jeff Davis from Helen Sam's? It is dangerous in "regular" traffic. What was she thinking...if she indeed had to break the speed of sound, couldn't she at least go Highway 54 to McDonough Rd. where there is more room to navigate?

As another person posted, is any material thing worth the lives that she put at risk? In fact, someone I know very well passed her on S. Jeff Davis before the accident, (closer to Jimmy Mayfield) and said that she almost blew them off the road she was going so fast.

What do you think?

login to post comments
Was Anyone There?
Submitted by fayettefreedom on Sun, 02/14/2010 - 2:13pm.

I'm hearing rumors that no one has come forward who really heard a siren (which differs from the news reports), was anyone close by when it happened?

login to post comments
My thoughts
Cyclist's picture
Submitted by Cyclist on Sun, 01/31/2010 - 11:29am.

The only certain thing I know is that the driver attempting a left turn from Helen Sams onto S. Jeff Davis had the responsibility to ensure that she could complete the turn safely.
-------------------------------------------
Caution - The Surgeon General has determined that constant blogging is an addiction that can cause a sedentary life style.


login to post comments
You are Right
Submitted by mbryson04 on Sun, 01/31/2010 - 12:38pm.

Yes, you are right, however, when traveling down S. Jeff Davis I ALWAYS slow down in that area because it is VERY dangerous. Not only is it difficult to negotiate other cars, but the road narrows considerably in that exact area. When traveling from Helen Sams, if I'm turning left or right, I always take extra precaution. Here's the thing, if Hannah was going as fast as it's been reported (and witnessed) it could very easily appear clear one second and a major wreck the next. It is a very deceiving location. Not necessarily my words, but people who live in that "area of town". All I'm saying is that if no one's life was endanger at her house, I don't see the need for speed which could have ended her or other people's life. That could have very easily been me or one of my family members. Thanks for your reply!

login to post comments
S.Jeff Davis, Helen Sams PKWY and drivers that are not paying...
Cyclist's picture
Submitted by Cyclist on Sun, 01/31/2010 - 4:23pm.

attention.

Here's the thing, if Hannah was going as fast as it's been reported (and witnessed) it could very easily appear clear one second and a major wreck the next.

I have a hard time accepting this line of logic. From my unsophisticated analysis - which was a drive to Publix and the gym - there is an unobstructed view of some .3 of a mile or 1,560 feet looking west from the intersection of Helen Sams PKWY. Now, rather than bore everyone with the math, a top fuel dragster does a .25 mile in just under 4 seconds at speeds topping 300 MPH (Google). So, unless the FCSO is "pimping" their "rides" with 8,000 horsepower engines, I suspect there is more than enough time to see and react to an on-coming vehicle while waiting at that intersection.

But then again what do I know, I'm just a fat guy that rides a bicycle and pounds on a keyboard to talk in cyberspace. Smiling

BTW, an investigation team was at that intersection this afternoon taking pictures.

-------------------------------------------
Caution - The Surgeon General has determined that constant blogging is an addiction that can cause a sedentary life style.


login to post comments
Capt Hannah's Accident
Submitted by AtHomeGym on Sun, 01/31/2010 - 4:59pm.

I profess zero knowledge of the SO's established procedures for responding to a home alarm, but sommon sense tells me that the Patrol Officer nearest to the indicated address would respond. And I realize that all situations are fluid and can change due to the specifric situation or supervisory override. Like others, just glad it wasn't more serious.

login to post comments
Capt Hannah
Submitted by ddodge on Fri, 01/29/2010 - 7:09am.

If she was in fact responding to an alarm at her own home, who could blame her for responding with lights and siren. I think we would all react the same if we were in the same situation. If not "policy" we need to put ourselves in her shoes if it were our house.

login to post comments
Near Tragedy
yellowjax1212's picture
Submitted by yellowjax1212 on Fri, 01/29/2010 - 10:32am.

We may want to respond like that to an alarm at our house but few of us have the equipment to do so - BUT is losing a TV, stereo, etc. worth the near tragedy?
Would Sheriff's officers respond to a normal breaking and entering alarm in this fashion? Probably not. As much as I would love to bust every thug that breaks into a home and steals our property that we worked hard for, I don't think I would want an officer to put his/her life on the line by catching the perp in my house.

There are still some questions about the incident that I hope come out in the investigation.

1. Were other officers also responding as back-up or was Capt. Hannah going it alone? Never a good idea.

2. What was the outcome of the alarm? Was it legit or just a false alarm? Was the Hannah house actually burglarized (I hope not)

I pray that all three of the folks involved in this accident have a full and quick recovery and I thank God that real tragedy was avoided.


login to post comments
Give the cops a break
Submitted by rmoc on Sun, 01/31/2010 - 9:58pm.

She had lights and sirens going..if the drivers were focused (not on their cell phones or cranking the music) they should have given the sheriff's vehicle leeway. I am sick and tired of people picking on cops for every little thing. Let's just let the thugs take over the county.

login to post comments
No Cop Bashing
yellowjax1212's picture
Submitted by yellowjax1212 on Mon, 02/01/2010 - 8:50am.

rmoc, I'm not sure which post you read but I don't think that you will find any cop bashing (or failure to give a break) in my post. I have the utmost respect for Police officers and Sheriff's deputies (to the extent that I don't like the word "Cop" but I understand it's acceptance). They are the most underpaid and usually the least respected of Government employees (some teachers might disagree).
I was not questioning the accident itself, merely the situation that lead to the accident. Yes the other driver should have yielded. Was she distracted? I don't know.
I simply had a couple of questions that I hope will be answered in the investigation and I hope the Citizen will report when it is concluded. I don't want this investigation to drag on for months and be forgotten. Right or wrong lessons can be learned from this.


login to post comments
Yield for Emergency Vehicles
Submitted by skyspy on Mon, 02/01/2010 - 7:54am.

This really isn't rocket science folks. When you see lights and hear sirens move out of the way, and let them get by.

I'm glad nobody was seriously hurt in this accident.

login to post comments

Comment viewing options

Select your preferred way to display the comments and click "Save settings" to activate your changes.