Georgia Fire Chief Fatally Shot While Helping Stranded Driver in Alabama

Battalion Chief James Bartholomew Cauthen was killed by a homeowner after assisting a couple whose car struck a deer in a rural area with limited cell service.

James Bartholomew Cauthen, a 54-year-old fire chief from Coweta County, Georgia, was fatally shot while aiding a couple involved in a deer-related car accident in Chambers County, Alabama.
Cauthen and the driver walked to a nearby residence seeking help due to poor cell service when the homeowner, William Randall Franklin, allegedly opened fire without warning.
The driver, who was armed, returned fire, injuring Franklin, while Cauthen succumbed to his injuries before deputies arrived; the driver's wife remained in the car and was unharmed.
Franklin, 34, has been charged with murder and is awaiting extradition to Alabama after being treated for his injuries at a hospital.
Cauthen, remembered as a dedicated and compassionate firefighter with over 24 years of service, has left his department and community in mourning as investigations continue.