A correctional officer killed earlier this week is the fourth member of Georgia law enforcement to die in the line of duty this year.
Robert Clark, 42, died Sunday after being attacked by a prisoner at Smith State Prison in Glennville, according to the Georgia Department of Corrections. Clark was escorting two prisoners from the dining hall when Layton Lester allegedly assaulted him from behind with a homemade weapon. The other prisoner being escorted, Marko Willingham, tried to assist the officer and also was attacked by Lester, the GDOC said in a news release.
“Officer Clark was a great officer and a great person,” an officer posted on Clark’s online obituary page. “He would always go above and beyond to help everyone out. My prayers and thoughts are with his family.”
Visitation for Clark will be held from 5-8 p.m. Thursday at Carter Funeral Home, 308 West Oglethorpe Highway, in Hinesville. The funeral mass will begin at 2 p.m. Friday at St. Stephen Catholic Church, 399 Woodland Drive, Hinesville.
Other Georgia officers who gave the ultimate sacrifice this year include:
Jan. 28: Master Patrol Officer Clarence “CJ” Williams, who served the small, South Georgia town of Cairo, died while chasing a suspect, becoming the state’s first officer to die in the line of duty this year, according to the police department.
A Miami native, Williams moved to Cairo when he was 5 years old, his family said. He was assisting a Grady County sheriff’s deputy during a traffic stop when the subject ran away, according to media reports. Williams and the deputy were running after the suspect when he collapsed. He was 23.
Credit: Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council
Credit: Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council
July 5: Tyee Browne, a Crisp County deputy, was conducting a traffic stop on a suspected stolen truck in Cordele at around 3:40 a.m. when 25-year-old Croshawn Cross allegedly opened fire, according to the GBI. The deputy was shot and taken to a hospital, where he died. He was 26.
Browne’s accused killer, who was previously in state prison for nearly two years on a burglary charge, was later arrested after he allegedly stole the deputy’s patrol vehicle and led authorities on a chase through several counties. He was charged with murder.
Credit: Wilcox County Sheriff's Office
Credit: Wilcox County Sheriff's Office
Aug. 29: Wilcox County Sheriff Robert Rodgers, 52, crashed shortly after 4 p.m. while responding to a call, according to investigators. The crash happened on Ga. 233 north of Rochelle, about 75 miles south of Macon. Rodgers died at the scene.
“He gave his life while protecting the citizens of Wilcox County, which is what he loved best,” Maj. Mitchell Thompson said in a letter posted on Facebook.
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