Authorities today identified the man accused of shooting and killing a rural mail carrier in Commerce as Larry Steven Grogan of Danielsville. Grogan is also accused of shooting at Banks County deputies who attempted to stop him hours after the murder.
The Banks County Sheriff’s Office charged the 49-year-old Grogan with felony murder in the death of Asa “Junior” Wood, 59, of Commerce. The GBI charged Grogan with two counts of aggravated assault on a peace officer.
Grogan allegedly killed Wood while he was delivering mail Saturday morning in the 200 block of Hebron Road. A 911 caller alerted law enforcement to the shooting around 9:38 a.m. Banks County Sheriff’s Lt. Nicole Bailes says Wood was dead when officers arrived on the scene.
Approximately nine hours later, Banks County deputies spotted the suspect vehicle on Highway 51 North, less than ten miles from where the murder occurred.
When deputies attempted to stop the vehicle, they say the driver fled. An officer performed a PIT maneuver to disable the vehicle. It ran off the highway near the intersection with Payne Road. That’s when GBI investigators say Grogan got out of the vehicle and fired a rifle at two deputies. The deputies returned fire, injuring Grogan.
Neither deputy was injured in the shooting. Grogan sustained apparent non-life-threatening injuries. As of Monday evening, he remained hospitalized.
The Banks County Coroner’s Office sent Wood’s body to the GBI Medical Examiner’s Office in Decatur for an autopsy.
Investigators still have not determined a motive for the murder.
The GBI is investigating the officer-involved shooting. The sheriff’s office placed the deputies on administrative leave pending the outcome of that investigation, which is standard protocol.
U.S. Postal Inspectors are working with county and state officials on the investigation. Officials may file more charges.
