A Sunday crash involving a Marietta patrol car and a fire truck prompted the Marietta Police Department to issue a social media warning about the importance of following the Move Over law.
While officers and first responders were working a wreck on I-75 under the Allgood Road Bridge around 2:55 a.m., a gray Jeep smashed into the fire truck and the officer’s patrol car, according to a Marietta Police Department report.
Police charged the driver, William Powe, with driving duty to stop striking a fixed object, failure to maintain lane and driving under the influence of alcohol. He was also cited for violating the Move Over law and driving with an expired tag.
Marietta police posted photos of the wrecked police car and details of the crash Monday, as well as a full rundown of Georgia's Move Over law on Facebook.
The post has been shared on Facebook more than 900 times, and several commenters expressed their frustrations with motorists who violate the Move Over law, which comes with a fine of up to $500.
There were no injuries as a result of the crash, but there could have easily been a more severe ending, Marietta Police Department spokeswoman Kelah Wallace told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
“If that officer would have been getting out of his vehicle, he could have gotten killed,” Wallace said. “We want to emphasize that the Move Over law is for fire, ambulance or anyone working on the side of the road, not just police.”
Wallace said the police department often administers citations for violations of the Move Over law.
“It’s becoming more of a reality,” Wallace said. “You see people texting and driving and other things they do when they should be paying attention.”
