A photo of a Columbia County Deputy calmly handling a road emergency and possibly preventing what could have been a snowy car pile-up has gone viral on social media.
New Jersey native Olivia Gutierrez thought she was leaving snowy winters behind when she moved to Columbia County five years ago, but last Tuesday, she found herself directing traffic and assisting drivers just minutes after starting her road patrol shift during what was a rare Southern snowstorm.
According to the National Weather Service, 12 states were affected by the Jan. 21 storm, with Augusta receiving almost two inches of the white stuff.
After the sun went down, temperatures fell again, and the roads began icing up to the degree that Calhoun Expressway across town had to be shut down completely.
“The roads were beginning to get dangerous, I was on Wrightsboro Road near Turners when I saw an accident that had just occurred up ahead. I was actually headed to another call when I came up on the accident,” Gutierrez said.
Ceshera Powell’s vehicle had lost traction and became disabled in the heavy snow when she was struck from behind by a semi-tractor trailer. The accident caused confusion with the other drivers as they too lost traction on the hill and traffic quickly began to snarl.
Powell says that Gutierrez arrived alone and immediately took charge of the situation.
The driver of the 18-wheeler didn’t speak English and Gutierrez was able to talk to him in Spanish, and then she began helping each vehicle get up the hill, “back-to-back,” Powell said.
The photo Powell took of Gutierrez assisting motorists in the snow was posted on the “Disgusta, GA” Facebook page with Powell adding “She is who my tax dollars are for period!!!”
“I was really inspired by her,” Powell said, “It was so cold outside, but she handled everything like a true professional,”
After the traffic situation was cleared, Powell says that Gutierrez remained on the scene until the tow vehicle arrived.
Gutierrez, a former Marine MP, says that she has wanted to be a police officer since she was a little girl and that it is her passion to help and serve others. She says that the Facebook post and the community’s reaction took her by surprise.
“I started as a jailer for Columbia County and have been on road patrol for the past two years, and I love my job. It is great to live in such a supportive community,” Gutierrez said.
Although she has Hispanic heritage, Gutierrez says that she is not fluent in Spanish at all, but having some knowledge of the language comes in handy from time-to-time.
“My dad doesn’t speak Spanish. We never spoke it at home when I was a kid, so I am just drawing from what I learned in high school,” Gutierrez said.
Powell says she didn’t realize her post would go viral, but says she is glad that people can be reminded that Columbia County has some very dedicated public servants willing to go above and beyond the call of duty.
Scott Hudson is the Senior Investigative Reporter and Editorial Page Editor for The Augusta Press. Reach him at scott@theaugustapress.com
