Alabama deputy struck and killed by police officer coming to his aid in chase

Published 1:19 pm Thursday, January 4, 2024

An Alabama sheriff’s deputy was killed Wednesday night after he was struck by a police cruiser, state troopers said.

The multi-vehicle crash occurred at approximately 11:55 p.m. Wednesday, and claimed the life of a Coweta County Sheriff Deputy.

Eric A. Minix, 31, of Luthersville, Georgia, was fatally injured when the 2017 Ford Explorer patrol vehicle driven by Cornelius J. Robinson, 28, of Valley, struck Minix as he was exiting his patrol vehicle, the 2017 Dodge Charger.

After the initial impact, the Explorer then struck the 2017 Dodge Charger before hitting the 2022 Dodge Challenger driven by Decedric Donson, 25, of Pensacola, Florida

Cornelius J. Robinson, an officer with the Lanett Police Department, was responding to assist Deputy Eric Minix, who was in pursuit of Decedric Donson and the 2022 Dodge Challenger, which was stolen.

Deputy Minix was transported to East Alabama Medical Center-Lanier in Valley, where he later succumbed to injuries and was pronounced deceased.

The following agencies responded to assist Coweta County Sheriff’s Office, Troup County Sheriff’s Office, Grantville Police Department, Lanett Police Department, West Point Police Department, Chambers County Sheriff’s Office and Georgia State Patrol (GSP).

Deputies with the Chambers County Sheriff’s Office arrested Donson and charged him with Receiving Stolen Property in the First Degree and Felony Attempting to Elude. Donson was placed in the Chambers County Jail.

The crash occurred on Interstate 85 near mile marker 78, approximately one mile south of Lanett, in Chambers County.