Man charged in killing of deputy found shot in crashed car, Georgia authorities say
JAN. 3 UPDATE: A man accused of shooting and killing an off-duty deputy has been arrested and charged, Georgia authorities confirmed.
Alton Oliver, 26, was arrested Jan. 2 in connection with the death of Fulton County Sheriff’s Deputy James Thomas, Atlanta Police Deputy Chief Charles Hampton Jr. announced during a news conference.
He was booked into the Cobb County Jail on charges of felony murder, aggravated assault and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, officials said.
Authorities didn’t offer details on how Oliver was caught but said a citywide camera network database aided in his arrest.
DEC. 30 UPDATE: The Fulton County Sheriff’s Office has identified a deputy shot dead in an off-duty incident.
Deputy James Thomas, 24, was found fatally shot behind the wheel of his car on Bolton Road early Thursday, Dec. 29, according to the sheriff’s office. A passing driver called 911 after seeing the crashed car.
Thomas had been with the sheriff’s office for less than a year and was assigned to the Grady Detention unit. Fulton County Sheriff Pat Labat described the Mississippi native as an “outstanding young man” and “the life of the party,” WSB-TV reported.
“He was recruited to the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office from the Milledgeville Police Department, because of his dedication to the law enforcement profession, and his remarkable work ethic,” the department said in a statement. “He will be truly missed.”
Crimestoppers is offering a $30,000 reward for information leading to an arrest in Thomas’ death.
Original story continues below.
A man found shot and killed in a crashed car early Thursday, Dec. 29, in Atlanta is a local sheriff’s deputy, Georgia news outlets reported.
The victim, who wasn’t identified, works for the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office, according to WSB-TV and WAGA.
A sheriff’s office spokesperson said they “had no information to provide” on the incident.
Atlanta Police Department officers responded around 4:30 a.m. after a report that someone had been shot near Bolton Road and Peyton Road in northwest Atlanta, according to an Atlanta Police Department news release. They found a man dead in the driver’s seat of a car that had crashed.
Investigators are working to determine if he was shot before or after the wreck. Police said it’s possible another car was involved in the crash and left the scene, WAGA reported.
Additional information wasn’t immediately available.
This story was originally published December 29, 2022 at 9:19 AM with the headline "Man charged in killing of deputy found shot in crashed car, Georgia authorities say."