By Joe Johnson
A Georgia State Patrol trooper was killed in the line of duty early Tuesday morning in Clayton County, the Georgia Department of Public Safety announced.
The trooper was the second GSP officer to be killed in the line of duty in less than a month.
"The Georgia Department of Public Safety is saddened to announce the line-of-duty death of Trooper First Class Chase Redner #290," Georgia DPS said in a post on Facebook.
Redner was fatally struck by a vehicle as he was investigating a crash on Interstate 75 North near Mt. Zion Boulevard, the DPS said.
Redner was transported to Grady Memorial Hospital, where he passed away, the post added.
"TFC Redner has been employed with the Georgia Department of Public Safety since September 2017 and was a graduate of the 103rd Trooper School," DPS said. "The Department of Public Safety sends its sincerest condolences and prayers to TFC Redner’s family and co-workers. Please keep TFC Redner’s family in your prayers as they cope with the loss of their loved one."
The crash is being investigated by the Troop C Specialized Collision Reconstruction Team, DPS said.
In a statement, Gov. Brian Kemp said he and his family were "devastated by the news of Trooper Chase Redner's sudden and tragic passing."
"As the second state patrolman to die in the line of duty in less than a month, our hearts are broken for his mother and fiancée, for his friends and community, and for the entire Department of Public Safety family," the statement continued. "This is an incredibly painful time for their elite ranks, and we ask that all Georgians -- and those far beyond our state -- pray for Trooper Redner's family, loved ones, and colleagues."
Three weeks ago, Trooper Jimmy Cenescar was killed in a crash while trying to arrest a fleeing motorcyclist.
Cenescar died on Jan. 28 after his patrol car left the roadway and struck several trees and an embankment on I-85 North at Old Peachtree Rd.
He had been employed by the Department of Public Safety since January 2023 and was a graduate of the 114th Trooper School. Before working for the State Patrol, Cenescar was employed by the Atlanta Police Department and was honored for his heroics in saving the life of a man who drove off a bridge and landed 50 feet below on train tracks.
Cenescar had migrated to the U.S. from Haiti and he went to Georgia Gwinnett College, officials said.
“I knew I would grow and thrive here,” the trooper told the school's magazine, in 2022.