An Effingham County deputy and his K-9 partner, J.O., were injured in a Friday morning accident on Midland Road.
Deputy Alvin Anthony Cantrell was responding to a call for service about 10 a.m. when a car in front of him abruptly stopped, sheriff’s office spokesman David Ehsanipoor said. The deputy was traveling south on Midland Road toward Ga. 30 with his siren and lights on when the accident occurred.
“The deputy tried to avoid him and ran onto the shoulder,” Ehsanipoor said.
The deputy lost control of the patrol car, flipped and landed upside down in a ditch.
The deputy was trapped inside the car for 30 minutes before fire crews were able to extricate him.
Cantrell was taken by helicopter to Memorial University Medial Center where he remains with serious injuries.
“He is conscious and alert,” Ehsanipoor said.
The K-9 officer was taken to Webb Animal Hospital for treatment of non-life threatening injuries.
The Georgia State Patrol cited Rhett Cash, of Rincon, for failure to yield to an emergency vehicle. The Georgia State Patrol continues to investigate which is protocol for the sheriff’s office on crashes involving a deputy.