COLUMBIA COUNTY, Ga. () – The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office provided an update regarding the fatal officer-involved shooting on Saturday night, which resulted in the death of one deputy and left another injured.
That incident happened Saturday around 6:30 p.m. near Exit 194 (Belair Road) on I-20 Westbound.
Authorities reported that three deputies were in the process of serving a Temporary Protective Order warrant on James Blake Montgomery. Sheriff Clay Whittle explained at a press conference that Montgomery initially cooperated during the traffic stop. However, as the deputies were returning to their vehicle, Montgomery unexpectedly fired at them using a 9mm AR Pistol.
Deputy Brandon Sikes was shot and killed in the incident. Deputy Gavin White was shot in the face.
The Columbia County officers responded to Montgomery’s actions as he tried to escape in the RV. He ultimately lost control, crashing into the wire barrier off the interstate, which stopped the vehicle.
The incident left that area of I-20 closed for several hours, Saturday night into Sunday morning.
Sheriff Whittle states that White is in critical condition, but has been able to communicate, saying he has a long road to recovery.
Sikes is survived by his wife, Amber, who is also an employee of the Sheriff’s Office.
Montgomery is confirmed to be deceased. Inside his RV, investigators found pipe bombs, bomb making materials, numerous guns and ammo. Jars of an unidentified liquid were also found inside the motor home. Sheriff Whittle stated that Montgomery was involved in the selling of illegal steroids.
Deputies Andrew Brown and Jared Mason both returned fire and Sheriff Whittle says they may have been what killed Montgomery. We won’t know for sure until autopsy.
When Brown noticed that White had been shot, he dragged him past several police cars while under fire from the suspect. He got him into another car and drove him directly to Doctors Hospital, while still under gunfire, without calling an ambulance. His quick action is what may have saved White’s life.
An autopsy is scheduled at the GBI Crime Lab.
