The Cobb County Police Department’s Selective Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP) Unit, alongside the Georgia Motor Carrier Compliance Division, is assisting the City of Smyrna Police Department with investigating an injury traffic collision involving a Smyrna Police Department officer. The injury traffic collision occurred at Atlanta Road and Windy Hill Road in Smyrna on Thursday, June 25, 2020, at 10:10 a.m.

According to investigators, a marked Smyrna patrol vehicle, a black and white 2009 Ford Crown Victoria, was south, stopped for a red traffic signal on Atlanta Road at its intersection with Windy Hill Road. A white 2013 Ford F-350 stopped to the right of the Ford Crown Victoria, and a grey 2016 Lexus NX200 stopped to the right of the Ford F-350 at the intersection of Atlanta Road and Windy Hill Road. A white 1998 Ford tree service truck towing a flatbed trailer was traveling west on Windy Hill Road approaching the intersection. The traffic signal for Windy Hill Road cycled to red; however, the Ford tree service truck did not stop for the red traffic signal. The driver swerved to the right, and the Ford tree service truck overturned in the intersection. The Ford tree service truck continued into the southbound lanes of Atlanta Road and collided with the Smyrna patrol vehicle and the Ford F-350. The F-350 was redirected to the west and collided with the Lexus NX200.

The driver of the marked Smyrna patrol vehicle, a black and white 2009 Ford Crown Victoria, Officer P.D. Colburn, was entrapped within the Ford Crown Victoria but was not seriously injured. The officer was extricated from the vehicle by responding fire units and transported to Kennestone Hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.

The driver of the Ford F-350, 53-year-old Matthew McGee of Lithonia, was transported to Kennestone Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

The driver of the Lexus NX200, 57-year-old Sandra Henderson of Marietta, was not injured. 

The driver of the Ford tree service truck, 32-year-old Matthew Chafin of Lithia Springs, was not injured. 

Responding Georgia Motor Carrier Compliance Division officers documented several critical equipment violations on the tree service truck. Matthew Chafin was arrested and charged with driving while license suspended, violation of traffic control device, and failure to maintain lane.

This collision remains under investigation. Anyone with additional information regarding this collision should contact investigators at 770-499-3987.

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