Tennessee Deputy Dies While Texting and Driving, Killing Suspect in the Back Seat
While the deputy's death is tragic, all evidence indicates that the woman handcuffed in his back seat died as a result of his negligence.
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While the deputy's death is tragic, all evidence indicates that the woman handcuffed in his back seat died as a result of his negligence.
Robert John "RJ" Leonard, Jr., 35, died when his car plunged into the Tennessee River last week.
Mother Tabitha Smith and rookie deputy Robert Leonard drowned after he accidentally drove into a lake late at night, authorities said. It was the deputy's first arrest and he had been texting his wife before the crash, the district attorney said.
Authorities said Robert "R.J." Leonard, a Meigs County Sheriff's Office deputy, had just started the job in December and still did not know the county's landscape.
While the deputy's death is tragic, all evidence indicates that the woman handcuffed in his back seat died as a result of his negligence.