A Gwinnett County firefighter was killed in a three-car collision on I-85 in Jackson County on Friday morning.
Lt. Don Howard Kirkpatrick, 46, Hartwell, was off-duty at the time of the accident, according to the Gwinnett County Department of Fire and Emergency Services.
Two others were injured when a vehicle crossed the interstate and struck Kirkpatrick’s vehicle about three miles south of Commerce, according to the Georgia State Patrol.
Kirkpatrick started his career with the Gwinnett County Fire Department in April 1981.
“This is a tremendous loss for the members of our fire service family,” Capt. Thomas Rutledge, spokesperson for the fire department, said on Friday.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the immediate family during this difficult time,” Rutledge added.
God has told us to keep our children safe and we try our
best to do what God asks us to do. My thoughts go out to
his mom and family in their time of mourning.