A Columbia County sheriff’s deputy was killed late Tuesday night after his vehicle left the roadway and overturned in a one-car crash in Appling, officials confirmed.
Deputy Jeremy Crookham, 38, was driving north on Ray Owens Road around 11:48 p.m. when, for reasons still under investigation, his Jeep veered off the road onto the east shoulder. According to the report, the vehicle continued traveling along the shoulder, crashed through a fence, then began to overturn before striking a tree. The Jeep came to a stop after the impact.
“(Crookham) was determined to be at fault for the collision,” the report says.
Deputy Coroner M. Lappe pronounced Crookham dead at 1:35 a.m. Wednesday. He was a resident of Lincolnton.
In a public statement, the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office expressed its sorrow over the loss, calling Crookham’s death a significant blow to both the agency and the community. Officials extended condolences to his family and asked the public to keep them in their thoughts during this difficult time.
Diagram of the wreck:
