Forsyth Sheriff's Deputy, 29, Dies On First Day Of Training

FORSYTH COUNTY, GA -- The Forsyth County Sheriff's Office deputies and the community as a whole are in mourning after a deputy sheriff collapsed and died on the first day of training April 4.

"One of the few things that keeps me up at night as your sheriff has come true today," Sheriff Ron Freeman wrote on the department's Facebook page. "Today, Forsyth has lost a hero."

During the early morning on April 4, four deputy sheriffs from Forsyth County began their first day of training at Georgia Public Safety Training Center-Pickens Law Enforcement Academy.

One of those deputies was Deputy Sheriff II Spencer Englett.

"Spencer suffered a traumatic medical event during training and collapsed," Freeman wrote. "Medical personnel and first responders on scene, as well as his fellow Forsyth County Deputies, immediately administered aid to Deputy Englett. He was rushed to Mountainside Medical Center in Jasper where despite heroic efforts by first responders and medical staff, Spencer was not able to be revived."

Forsyth Deputies rushed his wife Ashley to the hospital. Freeman said along with his senior staff and department chaplains, spent the day with both Spencer’s family and his FCSO family who are grieving his loss as well.

"Deputy Englett was only 29-years-old and had recently been married," Freeman said. "He began his career at FCSO on May 1, 2017 when I hired him from the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office where he had served for several years. Deputy Englett served Forsyth County with distinction and honor and remains well respected by his peers."

"Please keep Deputy Englett’s family, our FCSO family and all those affected in your prayers during these difficult days," Freeman said. "Today, we lost a hero and a friend, FCSO is a little less strong, a little less capable but his friends and colleagues will rise to the challenge, they will honor his memory and do what they always do, keep Forsyth safe, because that is what Spencer would have done. Blessed are the peacemakers."

Englett's sister-in-law, Christy Payne, wrote on the page and said that on behalf of her sister, Ashley, she wanted to thank Freeman and his staff.

"We would have been lost without all of you this morning," Payne wrote. "Thank you for taking such great care of my sister and our family all the while honoring my brother-in-law to the fullest. The days ahead won’t be easy, and we pray deeply for my sister. We pray for comfort, peace and most of all, Gods grace. Spencer and Ashley had a love like no other and were the center of each other’s world. He will be deeply missed by all of us."