In a tragic incident on Sunday (January 19), Coweta County Fire Battalion Chief James Bartholomew Cauthen was shot and killed while assisting a driver who had hit a deer in Chambers County, Alabama. The 54-year-old fire chief was helping the driver after their vehicle struck a deer on County Road 267. Due to poor cell reception, Cauthen and the driver walked to a nearby house for help.
Upon approaching the residence, 33-year-old William Randall Franklin allegedly opened fire on them without warning. Cauthen was pronounced dead at the scene, while the driver and Franklin were both injured in the exchange of gunfire. The driver, who was armed, returned fire, injuring Franklin. The driver is expected to survive, and Franklin has been charged with murder following his release from the hospital.
Chambers County Chief Deputy Mike Parrish described the scene as "bizarre" and noted that all three men were armed. The motive for the shooting remains unclear.
Cauthen, who had served with the Coweta County Fire Rescue for over 24 years, is remembered as "an amazing, hard-working man with a gentle soul."
His department expressed their devastation over his loss, calling the incident a "senseless tragedy."
The Chambers County Sheriff’s Office is conducting an investigation and has asked anyone with information to contact their Criminal Investigations Division.