Bizarre Accident Kills Baldwin Co. Deputy

A Baldwin County Sheriff's deputy was killed in a freak accident Sunday in Greene County, Alabama. Investigators say Deputy Mike Malone was struck and killed by a train while hunting with his father. The deadly accident happened near the Eutaw community in rural Greene County.

"A train was coming down the track and saw him and attempted to warn him," says Baldwin County Sheriff Hoss Mack. "Apparently he was not able to get off the track and was struck by the train."

Investigators aren't sure why Malone was unable to avoid the train and get off the tracks. To help find answers in this tragedy, Greene County authorities have asked the Alabama Bureau of Investigation to look into the case.

"Mike was a law enforcement officer to the core," says Mack. "Law enforcement officers prepare themselves for an "in the line of duty death." It's part of what we do and it happens. This is a double tragedy because it happened while Mike was off-duty, off with his family and his dad. He was real close with his dad."

"He's a person that you could rely on," says Cpl. Dan Dollarhide with the Baldwin County Sheriff's Office. "And when you have a person like that in your life, it's not easy to replace. It's just a terrible loss for all of us."

Deputy Malone had been with the Baldwin County Sheriff's Office since 2002 and was a rising star. Malone was promoted to the department's investigations unit last year. Deputy Malone is survived by his wife, Amy. Mike Malone was 33 years old.