Metro Atlanta

Fired Milton police lieutenant was DUI in deadly Cobb crash, indictment says

Christopher Bradshaw also indicted for vehicular homicide and hit-and-run in the Cobb collision.
Christopher Bradshaw (left) is accused of killing Terrell Lowdermilk in a hit-and-run crash. (Police and family photos)
Christopher Bradshaw (left) is accused of killing Terrell Lowdermilk in a hit-and-run crash. (Police and family photos)
2 hours ago

A former metro Atlanta police lieutenant accused in a deadly hit-and-run crash was under the influence of alcohol, according to his indictment.

Christopher Bradshaw, 48, was off duty from the Milton Police Department at the time of the Aug. 13 collision. Investigators said they believe Bradshaw caused a crash on I-75 in Cobb County that killed a truck driver around 2:30 a.m., according to Marietta police.

Bradshaw allegedly struck Terrell Lowdermilk, who had pulled over his tractor-trailer on the entrance ramp from South Marietta Parkway after being involved in a minor crash, according to investigators. Lowdermilk, who lived in Chattanooga, Tennessee, was standing outside his truck when he was struck and killed. He was 36.

When officers arrived at the scene, Bradshaw was gone but evidence and witnesses linked him to the crash, according to police. Bradshaw, who was charged with vehicular homicide and hit-and-run, both felonies, surrendered two days later.

On Thursday, a Cobb grand jury indicted Bradshaw on both of those charges plus DUI, according to court documents.

Bradshaw allegedly “did drive and was in actual physical control of a 2020 Chevy Silverado, a moving vehicle, while under the influence of alcohol to the extent that it was less safe for him to drive,” the indictment states. He remained Friday in the Cobb jail, where he is being held without bond.

Court records do not list an attorney for Bradshaw.

After the arrest, Milton police said in an email to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that Bradshaw was placed on administrative leave after the department learned of the investigation and then fired.

Bradshaw had worked with Milton police since 2011 and became a lieutenant in 2022, according to the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council. He previously worked for about three years with the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office.

Lowdermilk worked long hours to build a better life for himself and his mother, according to a GoFundMe page created by family members. His dream was to own a trucking business, his obituary stated, and his career offered him the opportunity to see much of the country.

Before his death, Lowdermilk had made plans to get a passport so he could travel with his mother.

“Family meant everything to Terrell,” his obituary stated. “He spoke with his mother, Cynthia Hayes, every day, always checking on her health and well-being. He often told her that she deserved to rest, after all the sacrifices she made for him and his brother. He wanted to take care of her the way she took care of them.”

About the Author

Alexis Stevens is a member of the Crime and Public Safety team.

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