Information sheds more light onto fatal collision involving deputy
May 22—New information has surfaced about a recent fatal two-vehicle collision between a deputy sheriff and a Baldwin County man, authorities say.
The May 15 wreck, which happened shortly after 11:30 p.m., claimed the life of 67-year-old Louis "Louie" Mazzola Sr., who lived on the 300 block of Kings Road. The wreck happened near his home.
Life-saving measures, including CPR, were administered by the deputy involved in the crash. Mazzola was pronounced dead by a hospital physician shortly after he was taken there by personnel with Atrium Health Navicent Emergency Medical Services.
The deputy was identified as Reid William White, 37, who works as a road patrol sergeant on the night shift with the Baldwin County Sheriff's Office.
The veteran deputy sustained injuries in the collision and was treated at the emergency department of Atrium Health Navicent Baldwin hospital in Milledgeville. He is now recovering from his injuries at home.
Shortly before the collision, White was en route to a 911 emergency call from a woman who claimed her husband had been killed.
It was later revealed that the woman had made a false report of a crime by calling a 911 dispatcher at the Baldwin County Sheriff's Office 911 Center. The woman, identified as Quchina Harden, 37, of Pinewood Drive, Milledgeville, has been arrested and jailed on a pair of misdemeanor charges.
A few details were released by the Georgia State Patrol post in Milledgeville at the time of the wreck, but a more complete report was made public Tuesday.
The report was filed by GSP Trooper David Holland. He was assisted in the investigation by Cpl. Emily Beaulieu, who also took photographs.
A trooper with the GSP's Specialized Collision Reconstruction Team (SCRT) came to the scene and performed a separate investigation. That investigation is ongoing.
According to the report released Tuesday, Holland confirmed that White was responding to an emergency call with his blue lights activated at the time of the collision.
The deputy was traveling east on Kings Road in the eastbound lane while driving a 2022 Ford Explorer.
Mazzola was traveling in the same lane ahead of the deputy. Mazzola was driving a 2005 Ford Explorer.
Holland said in his report that as White approached Mazzola's SUV from behind, the deputy began to overtake Mazzola's vehicle in the left lane of travel.
The investigating trooper said Mazzola slowed down and attempted to turn into a private driveway, but failed to use his left-hand turn signal.
"Vehicle one, (Deputy White), failed to use due regard and struck the left side of of vehicle two with its front," Holland said. "The area of impact was in the westbound lane."
White's SUV came to a controlled final rest in the eastbound lane of Kings Road after traveling approximately 301 feet from the area of impact, the trooper said in the report.
After the impact of the collision, Mazzola's SUV began rotating clockwise as it traveled off the south side of the roadway, Holland said.
The vehicle overturned down a steep embankment and came to an uncontrolled final rest on its rooftop facing west, the trooper said.
Holland said Mazzola was thrown out of his vehicle and his body was found between his vehicle and the embankment.
Funeral services were held Monday for Mazzola in the chapel of Williams Funeral Home in Milledgeville.
Mazzola is survived by his wife, Ava Martin Mazzola; his children, Shannon (and Simon), Ryan, Christina, and (Christopher) Birchfield, and Dawson May, all of Milledgeville. He also is survived by his siblings, John and (Penny) Mazzola, of Gray; Lucille Poolin, of West Melbourne, Florida; Michael and (Penny) Mazzola, of Ormond Beach, Fla.; Robert and (Delores) Mazzola, of Orlando, Fla.; and Rose Mazzola, of Thomasville.
He had nine grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
He was a native of Westbury, New York, but had moved to Baldwin County years ago to help open the Grumman Plant in Milledgeville.
