Loganville man may be charged in HERO driver's death

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By Rhonda Cook

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

No charges have been filed yet against a 47-year-old Loganville man who allegedly struck and killed a Highway Emergency Response Operator who was helping a motorist stranded on the side of I-85 earlier this week.

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Georgia State Troopers investigate the scene where a state Department of Transportation "HERO" operator was killed late Monday morning, Jan.31, 2011 while assisting a motorist along I-85 south of downtown Atlanta.

John Spink, jspink@ajc.com Georgia State Troopers investigate the scene where a state Department of Transportation "HERO" operator was killed late Monday morning, Jan.31, 2011 while assisting a motorist along I-85 south of downtown Atlanta.

Georgia Department of Transporta 45-year-old state Department of Transportation "HERO" operator Spencer Pass was killed late Monday morning while assisting a motorist along I-85 south of downtown Atlanta.

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Georgia State Patrol spokesman Gordy Wright said Friday that GSP's accident investigators were still recreating the events that led to the death of 45-year-old Spencer Pass Monday morning. Once that investigation is completed in the next few weeks, a report will be given to prosecutors who will decide if charges will be brought against Kirk A. Sherwood, who allegedly was driving the pickup that slammed into HERO unit, a stopped Ford Ranger and then Pass.

Pass, a Jonesboro father of three, is the first HERO operator to be killed on the job since the state Department of Transportation began the program 15 years ago. HERO drivers who troll metro Atlanta interstates during rush hour, looking for motorists stranded on the side of the road because of car trouble, they ran out of gas or were involved in an accident. HERO trucks carry tools and gasoline. They also stop behind accidents so their flashing lights will provide a warning to oncoming traffic.

GSP Sgt. Jerome Bowman said Pass had parked his truck behind a Ranger stopped in the emergency lane of I-85 south of downtown Atlanta. Pass was standing in front of the stranded pickup when a dual-axle Ford F-450 pulling a landscaping trailer sideswiped the HERO truck and the Ranger, then hit Pass.

The Ranger driver was near his truck and was able to jump to safety. “But the HERO driver was unable to get out of the way and was fatally injured,” Bowman said.