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Off-Duty Coweta County, GA, Fire Battalion Chief Gunned Down Helping Driver in Alabama

Jan. 20, 2025

Coweta County Fire Battalion Chief James 'Bart' Cauthen was described as 'an amazing, hard-working man with a gentle soul.'

Susan Nicol

A Coweta County Fire battalion chief was gunned down in Alabama while trying to help a driver who'd hit a deer.

Battalion Chief James 'Bart' Cauthen and the driver who struck the deer were shot as they were walking up the driveway to get help, 11 Alive reported.

Cauthen was pronounced dead at the scene while the uniidentified driver and the homeowner, William R. Franklin, suffered gunshot wounds in what deputies called a 'shootout.'

The Chambers County Sheriff's Office said Franklin would be arrested and charged with murder upon his release from the hospital.

Deputies called it 'a horrific scene.'

About the Author

Susan Nicol | News Editor

Susan Nicol is the news editor for Firehouse.com. She is a life member and active with the Brunswick Volunteer Ambulance & Rescue Company, Oxford Fire Company and Brunswick Vol. Fire Co. Susie has been an EMT in Maryland since 1976. Susie is vice-president of the Frederick County Fire/Rescue Museum. She is on the executive committee of Frederick County Volunteer Fire and Rescue Association. She also is part of the Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems (MIEMSS) Region II EMS Council. Susie is a board member of the American Trauma Society, Maryland Division. Prior to joining the Firehouse team, she was a staff writer for The Frederick News-Post, covering fire, law enforcement, court and legislative issues.