A Lyons woman remains in critical condition in a Florida hospital after her vehicle collided with a Toombs County Sheriff’s Office patrol vehicle Sunday night.
Deputy Chase Barr was enroute to a call of a reckless driver who was alleged to have committed aggravated assault and reportedly had the victim in the vehicle while driving recklessly. A witness was following the suspect and victim and relaying information to 911 dispatch as it occurred.
Deputy Barr was traveling east on Reidsville Road when he encountered several vehicles in front of him traveling east. He activated his emergency lights and proceeded to pass those vehicles while attempting to locate the reckless vehicle. As he neared East Clifton Avenue, Renee Dupuis, age 57, attempted to make a left turn onto East Clifton and apparently didn’t see Deputy Barr’s patrol vehicle. The officer was unable to stop and struck the passenger side of Dupuis’ black Dodge Charger as it crossed the west bound lane onto East Clifton Avenue. The patrol vehicle came to rest in front of a residence on Reidsville Road
Dupuis was ejected from her vehicle, but Deputy Barr managed to exit his patrol vehicle and began to render first aid to her a while at the same time, relaying information to 911 dispatch to alert emergency medical personnel. Dupuis appeared to suffer from head and internal trauma. She was transported to the Air Evac base in Vidalia where she was stabilized before being transported via medical helicopter to a trauma center in Jacksonville Florida.
Deputy Barr suffered from a possible facial fracture, minor head trauma and lacerations. He was transported to Memorial Health Meadows Hospital in Vidalia and has been released. He is currently on medical leave from the Sheriff’s Office.
The investigation of the accident has been turned over to the Georgia State Patrol Post 18 of Reidsville.
Captain Jordan Kight of the Toombs County Sheriff’s Office said, “We would like to thank all of the agencies and staff that responded to assist with this wreck. We ask that you keep Ms. Dupuis and her family in your prayers as well as Deputy Barr.
