Police Chief Recovering After Serious Crash

Thomasville Mayor Sheldon Day was one of the first responders to arrive on the scene and find Police Chief Billy Hicks trapped in his car.

"Naturally it's a very trying time for our fire department and for our police department," says Mayor Day, who is also a volunteer fireman. "I did not know that it was Chief Hicks until I got there in the fire truck. I was actually driving the first truck in."

Day says Chief Hicks was responding to a water pressure issue Saturday night when he lost control of his vehicle, flipped several times and crashed into a tree. Richard Jowers, 21, who Mayor Day says is a family friend, was riding in the car with Hicks when the crash happened.

Hicks, a 30 year veteran of the Thomasville police force, was barely conscious when emergency crews arrived. The first responders were the same men and women Hicks has worked with for decades.

"I kind of went into stun mode I was kinda shocked," says 1st Sgt. Adam Gunter, who has worked with Chief Hicks for 24 years. "I stepped back and let the fire department and EMTs do their work," he says. Gunter drove one of several patrol cars who escorted Chief Hicks' ambulance to USA Medical Center in Mobile.

According to Mayor Day, Chief Hicks suffered a spinal cord injury and at this time is partially paralyzed. "They don't know whether that is permanent or not," says Day.

Gunter is serving as the interim police chief.