SAVANNAH, Ga. -- A Savannah police officer died Friday after being hit in his patrol car by a tractor-trailer while he was on duty.
The police department said Officer Anthony Christie was 37 years old.
Around 2:30 a.m., SPD officers went I-16 East near Dean Forest Road to respond to a head-on collision. The crash was caused by a car traveling in the wrong direction, according to police. Eastbound lanes were closed after the wreck occurred. Christie along with other officers went to the scene to assist with traffic control.
He was parked in his patrol car with his lights activated in the eastbound lanes to divert traffic off of the interstate onto Dean Forest. Authorities said a tractor-trailer hit the side of his vehicle. He died later from those injuries.
“Officer Christie was doing what many of our officers do every day when he was tragically struck this morning,” said Chief Mark Revenew. “We know policing is a dangerous job, but that doesn’t make incidents like this any less heartbreaking for our community, our department, and the entire blue family.”
The police department is providing counselors to help support the officers, family, friends, and his co-workers.
Christie has served with Savannah Police Department since December 2015 and was officially sworn in on May 19, 2016. Before his law enforcement career, Christie served 13 years in the Navy as a Master-at-Arms Second Class in the 4th Fleet.
Officer Christie is survived by his wife Nicole.
