Investigator's fatal car crash leaves Houston County DA's office 'heartbroken'
Richard Crooms
HOUSTON COUNTY, Ga. - The Houston County District Attorney is mourning the loss of one of its investigators after he was killed in a motor vehicle accident while on duty Wednesday.
Officials say Richard Crooms was driving on Moody Road Wednesday when another vehicle crossed the center lane and smashed into Crooms' car, killing him.
Crooms had joined the Houston County District Attorney's Office in September 2020. Prior to that, he worked for over two decades at the Bibb County Sheriff's Office, trained officers at the Georgia
Public Safety Training Center, and worked at the Middle Georgia University Police Department.
In a statement, the DA's office said they were "heartbroken and deeply saddened" by Crooms' death.
"Richard set the example for others to follow and kept a kind attitude, I know he loved his family and his brothers and sisters in law enforcement," Acting District Attorney William M. Kendall wrote. "He often would share stories about his family and children, always speaking words of love. I knew Richard to be kindhearted, fair, and motivated. He was quick to makes friends, quick to help out and seemed to always have an optimistic mindset."
In his life, officials say Crooms trained and mentored hundreds of officers and impacted a lot of lives.
Officials are asking Georgians to send thoughts and prayers to Cooms family and fellow law enforcement officers.