Fallen GA Deputy Honored Posthumously As Officer Of The Year

NEWNAN, GA — A Georgia deputy who was hit and killed during a Jan. 4 police chase has been named an Officer of the Year.

Investigator Eric Minix, a K9 unit officer, was hit by an Alabama police car as authorities chased a vehicle that was reported stolen from Douglas County. The chase crossed state lines into Alabama, Coweta County Sheriff Lenn Wood previously said.

The American Legion Post 57 posthumously awarded Officer of the Year to Minix, authorities said Tuesday. Wood presented the award to Minix's wife during a ceremony Saturday.

"This award is not about how Eric died, but for all the great work he did while he was alive," Wood said. "Trina shared him with us. Most of the work is late at night and early morning, and their families shared them with us. He loved what he did and it showed in everything he did."

The Newnan Times-Herald reported Wood also gave Minix's wife a necklace that had Minix's name and badge number engraved on it.

Minix originally joined the sheriff's office in 2014 before leaving to work for the Tyrone Police Department for about five years, later returning to the sheriff's office, Wood said in the past.

The awards ceremony honored several other Georgia officers, the outlet reported.