BANKS COUNTY, Ga. — The Banks County Sheriff's Office has identified the postal worker who was killed while delivering mail along his rural route in Georgia.
According to the sheriff's office, Asa Jr. Wood, 59, was working his morning route when he was fatally shot Saturday. Deputies responded to the 200 block of Hebron Road, a rural area in Commerce, shortly after 9:30 a.m. and found Wood dead from a gunshot wound.
Investigators said after following leads, they were able to pinpoint a person of interest. Deputies were given a car description of the person. While patrolling the area of Highway North between Bennett and Damascus roads, deputies found the car of the person of interest and attempted to stop it.
However, the driver kept going and led deputies on a chase, according to the sheriff's office. During the chase, a deputy attempted a PIT maneuver and he was able to stop the person of interest's car.
The sheriff's office said the driver immediately began firing at deputies. Deputies exchanged gunfire and shot the driver. The driver sustained non-life threatening injuries and was taken to a hospital for treatment.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation was requested to investigate the incident. The deputies will be placed on paid administrative leave as the GBI continues to investigate, the sheriff's office said.
The person of interest's name is being withheld at this time due to the GBI's ongoing investigation.
The sheriff's office is also working with the U.S. Postal Inspectors and the Banks County Coroner's Office.
Part of Highway 51 was closed for several hours Saturday night following the incident.