Caleb Abney "succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced deceased on scene," according to a statement from the Hahira Police Department
Credit: GoFundMe
NEED TO KNOW
- Caleb Abney died on Feb. 19 after his patrol vehicle was struck from behind by another driver during a traffic stop
- He joined the Hahira Police Department after working for Lowndes County Fire and Rescue, his obituary stated
- Abney, 26, was set to get married this April
A 26-year-old police officer from Georgia was killed during a traffic stop just two months before his wedding.
“It is with heavy hearts that we share the devastating news of the loss of Officer Caleb Abney, who was tragically killed in the line of duty earlier this morning,” the Hahira Police Department wrote in a social media post on Feb. 19. “Officer Abney served our community with honor, courage, and unwavering dedication.”
In a statement shared with PEOPLE on Wednesday, Feb. 25, the Georgia State Patrol (GSP) said that a trooper was dispatched to a three-vehicle crash on Interstate 75 north in Lowndes County at about 12:09 a.m. local time that morning.
The officer, later identified as Abney, was conducting a traffic stop on a Nissan located on the east shoulder of the interstate when the driver of a Chevrolet Camaro failed to maintain their lane, traveled onto the east shoulder of I-75 and struck the rear of the officer’s patrol vehicle.
The patrol vehicle, which Abney was sitting in, then hit the Nissan and all three vehicles finally came to a rest off the roadway.
“The Hahira PD officer succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced deceased on scene,” police said, noting that the driver of the Chevrolet also died.
An investigation is ongoing.
According to his obituary, Abney was born at Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio, and received his associate degree in science criminal justice from Southern New Hampshire University in 2020.
Two years later, he “met the love of his life, Jordan Alexis Hicks."
“In early 2025 he snuck away to Puerto Rico, while his sisters and Jordan were there on a ‘girls’ trip and asked for her hand in marriage," the obituary read. "She said ‘Yes.’ The young couple bought a house together and set an 'I Do' date of April 18, 2026.”
“Caleb had a heart for public service and joined the Hahira Police Department after working for Lowndes County Fire and Rescue,” the tribute continued “In his short tenure as a Hahira, Georgia Police Officer, Caleb, because of his cheerful personality, had the ability to make people feel 'OK' when he gave them a ticket.”
In an interview with NBC affiliate WALB, Hahira Police Chief Stryde Jones called Abney “family.”
“In a small department, officers become more than coworkers; they become brothers and sisters,” said Jones.
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Abney’s funeral service will be held on March 1, at the Lowndes High School, Martin Stadium in Valdosta.
A GoFundMe has been set up to support his family and fiancée.
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