A Georgia state trooper died early Tuesday after he was hit by a vehicle while investigating a fatal crash on Interstate 75 North in Clayton County. Trooper First Class Chase Redner of Cumming was killed around midnight on Feb. 20, the Georgia Department of Public Safety said.
Redner, of Cumming, was with the Troop C Specialized Collision Reconstruction Team (SCRT). His unit was investigating an earlier wreck involving a Kia Forte that veered into a construction zone and struck a worker, who died at the scene.
Both fatal crashes occurred near Mt. Zion Boulevard in Morrow. After he was hit, Redner was rushed to Grady Memorial Hospital, where he passed away.
“The Department of Public Safety sends its sincerest condolences and prayers to TFC Redner’s family and co-workers,” the department wrote in a news release. “Please keep TFC Redner’s family in your prayers as they cope with the loss of their loved one.”
The Georgia Department of Public Safety is saddened to announce the line-of-duty death of Trooper First Class Chase Redner #290. TFC Redner was investigating a vehicle crash on Interstate 75 North near Mt. Zion Boulevard in Clayton County when he was struck by another vehicle. pic.twitter.com/VLZIqDVzwu
— Georgia Department of Public Safety (@ga_dps) February 20, 2024
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp issued a statement offering his condolences. Kemp said that he and his family were “devastated” by the news of Redner’s “sudden and tragic passing.”
“As the second state patrolman to die in the line of duty in less than a month, our hearts are broken for his mother and fiancé, for his friends and community, and for the entire Department of Public Safety family,” the governor said.
On Sunday, Jan. 28, Georgia State Trooper Jimmy Cenescar died after a crash while attempting to stop a motorcycle for a traffic violation on Interstate 85. Cenescar’s vehicle left the road and struck an embankment. He passed away at the hospital.
Cenescar was laid to rest earlier this month.
Both line-of-duty deaths serve as sobering reminders of the inherent dangers of public safety work.
“Today, we are reminded of the painful price paid by far too many heroes for our safety and the well-being of the places we call home. May God bless and protect all those who serve,” wrote Gov. Kemp.
Redner’s SCRT unit is now conducting an investigation into his death. Georgia State Patrol Public Information Officer Courtney Lund says the investigation is ongoing.
Chase Redner went to work with the Georgia Department of Public Safety in September 2017. He was a graduate of the 103rd Trooper School. His mother, Linda Stancil Redner, lives in Dahlonega.
Darby Funeral Home in Canton is handling funeral arrangements. Details have not yet been announced.
