Ex State Trooper Gets Prison Time In Manslaughter Death Of Braves Trainer's Wife

((HT: AJC.com/Stevens))

Atlanta Braves trainer Jeff Porter and his wife, Cathy, were heading to the Chick-fil-A Bowl on New Year's Eve, 2011 when Georgia State Trooper Donald Crozier broadsided the Porter's car as he was on his way to assist in a high-speed pursuit.

Cathy Porter was pronounced dead at the scene and Crozier was charged with vehicular homicide, reckless driving, and violating his oath of office. Crozier initially would not plead to the oath violation charge, but today relented...

He was found guilty in the court case and has been sentenced to two years in prison with another eight years of probation added after his release. Crozier, it was discovered, had a history of wrecks in his GSP career and was dismissed shortly after the Porter accident.

Crozier apologized in open court to the Porter family and has been ordered by the judge in the case, Fulton County (GA) Superior Court Judge Craig Schwall, to assist in the education of other officers in the dangers of attempting high-speed pursuits.

Here's how the state proceeded after Crozier pleaded guilty to two of three initial charges...
((HT: 11Alive.com))

Ex State Trooper Indicted In Crash That Killed Wife Of Braves Trainer

((HT: AJC/MyFoxAtlanta))

Here's your primer from back on New Year's Eve 2011
Marc Teichner has the story at the time...
Atlanta News, Weather, Traffic, and Sports | FOX 5

Christopher Seward now updates that Crozier has been indicted on charges of homicide by vehicle in the first degree, reckless driving and violation of oath by public officer.

Porter, obviously, isn't commenting- from Spring Training or anywhere...

From Seward's piece:

An investigation found Crozier had activated his lights and sirens, but the trooper did not slow his Dodge Charger patrol car enough to make sure the Porters’ Ford Expedition, which had a green light, had yielded to his patrol car before proceeding through the intersection.

Crozier, who had been on the force for 10 years, was fired after the incident. He released a statement following the accident expressing his sorrow. “I am so sorry for their loss and I think of them and pray for them every day,” he said in the statement released by his attorney.

The case will be heard in Fulton County (GA), but no date has been set yet...

State Trooper Fired After Porter Death Investigation

The HQ knows that the above headline is small solace in the death of the wife of Atlanta Braves trainer Jeff Porter...

But the Georgia State Patrol is in the process of investigating the events of New Year's Eve as a patrol car, while speeding to another crime scene, plowed into the Porter's car- killing Jeff's wife Kathy, and injuring everyone else in the car.

But there is a warning for anyone in the state of Georgia in cases like this- the Sovereign Immunity Law... and it sucks...
FOSG Paul Crawley has the proof...


We can only hope the state doesn't pay attention to the law in this case...
But the HQ knows better...

Wife of Braves trainer killed in horrible crash

Jeff Porter (in middle)

((ht: ajc.com))

This is just a horrible story to tell.

The wife of Atlanta Braves trainer Jeff Porter was killed and Porter, along with his 19-year old son were injured when a Georgia State Patrol cruiser heading to a chase crashed into the family's SUV.

The accident happened just before 5 p.m Satursday as the Porters were heading to Saturday nights Chick-fil-a Bowl at the Georgia Dome.

The incident is being investigated, but News reports in Atlanta quote witnesses as saying the trooper ran through a red light at a high rate of speed and never slowed down before hitting the Porter's vehicle.

Read the newspaper story from AJC.com RIGHT HERE

The Braves released a statement Saturday night: "The Braves family is deeply saddened and shocked to learn about the tragic accident today involving the family of head athletic trainer Jeff Porter and the death of his wife Kathy. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Jeff and Kathy's family, their son David and all their friends and loved ones."


Porter has been with the team since the mid-80's and is someone held in high regard in the organization and in baseball. He's been the teams lead trainer since 2003. According to Mark Bowman, the Braves reporter for MLB.com, team manager Fredi Gonzalez and coach Terry Pendleton have been at Porter's side since the incident.

Having covered the Braves for many years, we know how well thought of Porter is. Our thoughts and prayers and deepest sympathies go out to him and his family.