Retired Police Officer Hit By Truck During Funeral Procession

CANTON, GA — A former DeKalb County police officer was injured Tuesday afternoon while he was helping direct a funeral procession on his motorcycle and was hit by a tractor trailer.

Cherokee Sheriff’s Office deputies were dispatched to a collision between a tractor trailer and a motorcycle at 1:45 p.m. on Knox Bridge Highway in front of the Georgia National Cemetery.

The driver of the motorcycle, whose name is not being released at this time, was seriously injured and transported to Wellstar Kennestone Hospital.

The accident is being investigated by the Cherokee Sheriff’s Office Traffic Enforcement Unit.

Preliminary indications are the motorcycle pulled out of the cemetery in front of the tractor trailer which was traveling west bound on Knox Bridge Highway, the Sheriff's Office said.

WSB-TV reported that the officer assists with funeral escorts to the cemetery, and was on his personal motorcycle when a tractor trailer crashed into him.

The driver of the tractor trailer was not injured.

Traffic is extremely backed up in both directions of Knox Bridge Highway, although the roadway has been cleared, the Sheriff's Office tweeted.

Cherokee County Schools tweeted it is aware of the traffic delays for school buses.