Newton County Sheriff’s Deputy Justin White is improving daily, according to a statement from the Newton County Sheriff’s Office (NCSO) Friday.
“He has been able to follow a few commands of his nurses and has proven that he is definitely a fighter,” Sgt. Cortney Morrison said in a news release.
“Thank you to everyone for all the support, prayers and thoughts for Deputy White and his family. Please continue the well wishes and prayers as although he is improving, he is not out of ICU yet.”
White, 28, was involved in a single-vehicle crash in the early morning hours of Oct. 30 on Highway 162.
The deputy was on his way to an emergency call in a marked patrol vehicle with emergency equipment activated around 2:30 a.m., according to a statement from the Georgie Department of Public Safety Public Information Office.
The right side tires of his vehicle reportedly left the roadway and entered the west shoulder before re-entering the southbound lanes of Highway 162. The deputy lost control of the vehicle and eventually struck an embankment and overturned, coming to an uncontrolled rest on its roof on the south shoulder of Mote Road, facing east.
The deputy was extricated from his vehicle and transported to Atlanta Medical Center (AMC). There was no airbag deployed in the accident. The deputy was not wearing his safety belt, according to the statement.
According to the Georgia’s Governor’s Office of Highway Safety and the Georgia Seat Belt Law (O.C.G.A. 40-8-76-1), “a passenger vehicle performing an emergency service” is not required to use safety belts.
The exact cause of the accident is unknown, according to a press release from NCSO Sgt. Michael Cunningham.
White's family has started a GoFundMe campaign to raise funds to help support him during his hospital stay.
Brittany Gaynes, who is the cousin of White's girlfriend Morgan Conners, started the campaign.
"The funds will go to Justin and Morgan's needs while he is hospitalized as he cannot work and [we] do not know when or if that time will come," Gaynes said.
Donations can be made at https://www.gofundme.com/2wsscic.
