A former Habersham County deputy who was fired and arrested for a DUI wreck two years ago is back in trouble with the law. The Georgia State Patrol (GSP) confirms that Howard Chance Oxner, 55, of Mount Airy, has been charged with leaving the scene of an accident following a rear-end collision on Jan. 16 in Hall County.
Troopers also charged Oxner with following too closely after the Toyota Camry he was driving crashed into the back of a pickup truck on GA 365 near Mud Creek Road.
Mother and son injured
According to the preliminary crash report, the Camry was traveling north in the righthand lane behind a Chevrolet Avalanche when the driver of the pickup slowed to turn right into a driveway.
“The driver of the Camry was following too closely and struck the rear of the Avalanche. After impact, both vehicles traveled off the east shoulder of the roadway,” the report states.
The rear-end collision injured Oxner and two people in the pickup truck. They’ve been identified as 35-year-old Tambra Armour of Alto and her 15-year-old son Brayden Blackburn.
Ambulances transported Armour and Blackburn to Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville. They were treated and released several hours later, according to family members.
Oxner sustained serious injuries but left the scene in a “personally owned vehicle,” says GSP Public Information Officer Courtney Floyd.
GSP Post 6 in Gainesville is investigating the wreck.
Previous wreck
Oxner’s officer profile from the Peace Officer Standards and Training Council (POST) shows he currently serves as a reserve officer with the Alto Police Department.
Alto PD hired Oxner four months after the sheriff’s office fired him in June 2021 when he wrecked his patrol vehicle in an off-duty accident where alcohol was involved.
In addition to being fired, Oxner was charged with DUI less safe and failure to maintain lane. He pleaded guilty in Habersham County State Court to the lesser charge of reckless driving and was sentenced to 12 months probation and a $1,000 fine.
The judge also sentenced Oxner to 20 hours of community service, giving him the option to pay off that service at the rate of $7.25 an hour ($145).
