Gordon County Driver Called Deputies 'Bros' After Slamming Into Fire Truck, Fleeing

A 31-year-old man is facing DUI and hit-and-run charges after authorities say he slammed his car into a fire truck at the intersection of Interstate 75 and U.S. Highway 41 around 1 p.m. Thursday, then drove off even as a woman inside his car tried to get out. Deputies later found Jacob Razo and the woman at a nearby apartment complex with his heavily damaged vehicle, its airbags deployed, and say Razo appeared to be drunk.

According to WSB-TV Channel 2, a fire officer discovered Razo's car at the apartment complex just minutes after the crash and alerted police, who then tracked down Razo and his passenger. The female passenger told deputies she had been in the car during the collision and was trying to get out when Razo instead sped away from the scene, leaving her exposed to whatever came next. As reported by Atlanta News First, the woman confirmed she was in the vehicle at the time of the crash, corroborating the account that deputies later pieced together.

Razo's demeanor when deputies caught up with him only added to the strange scene, per the station's report. He reportedly addressed the arresting officers repeatedly as “bros” and, when discussing his mangled car, told them he “was paying for it.” Officers noted Razo appeared drunk when he was located alongside the damaged vehicle and the female passenger.

A Fire Truck That's Hard to Miss

The Gordon County Sheriff's Office didn't mince words in a social media statement about the incident, noting that fire engines are “large, red, and highly visible in traffic,” the same account notes. That commentary underscores just how avoidable officials believe the collision was, given the size and visibility of the emergency vehicle involved.

Under Georgia's Move Over Law, O.C.G.A. § 40-6-16, drivers approaching a stationary emergency vehicle with active flashing lights are required to change lanes or slow below the speed limit and prepare to stop, according to the Georgia Governor's Office of Highway Safety. Violations of that law alone carry fines up to $500 and three points on a driver's license. Razo was charged with leaving the scene of an accident, DUI, and other offenses, though the full list of charges tied to Thursday's crash has not been detailed.

Prior Arrest and What Georgia Law Says Comes Next

Investigators with the Gordon County Sheriff's Office also revealed that Razo had previously been arrested in the county on charges including obstruction of peace officers, giving his latest arrest a documented history with local law enforcement. That prior record could factor into how prosecutors and a judge weigh his case going forward, though no updated bail conditions related to it have been reported.

Georgia law treats leaving the scene of a property-damage accident as a misdemeanor, punishable by up to 12 months in custody, fines between $300 and $1,000, and an automatic 120-day driver's license suspension, according to Brett Willis Law LLC. That suspension applies regardless of how the case is resolved in court. Separately, a first-offense DUI conviction under Georgia Code § 40-6-391 carries a mandatory fine of $300 to $1,000, 24 hours to 12 months in jail, at least 40 hours of community service, and completion of a risk reduction program, per Justia Law.

Local Push to Curb Impaired and Reckless Driving

The crash lands amid a broader regional effort to crack down on dangerous driving in Northwest Georgia. In July, local law enforcement in nearby Calhoun secured more than $82,000 in grants from the Governor's Office of Highway Safety to fund high-visibility traffic enforcement and regional enforcement networks, as reported by The Fox 103.5. That funding supports multi-county initiatives aimed squarely at curbing impaired driving.

The stakes for roadside responders are not abstract. Georgia Governor's Office of Highway Safety data shows 1,131 non-motorists and roadside responders were involved in roadside crashes statewide between 2017 and 2021, with roadside fatalities jumping 34% in 2021 alone. It remains unclear whether Razo will face additional charges tied to the passenger's safety, and questions about his bail conditions given his prior obstruction arrest have not yet been publicly resolved.