Neighbors, family members of law enforcement line procession to pay respects to Coweta deputy

COWETA COUNTY, Ga. — Deputies, officers and first responders from north Georgia to middle Alabama and everywhere in between lined up at the Coweta County fairgrounds to pay tribute to a fallen deputy on Monday.

Channel 2′s Steve Gehlbach spoke to people along the procession route for Coweta County Deputy Eric Minix.

The deputy, husband and father of three was killed Wednesday in the line of duty. The tragic accident came at the end of a high-speed chase just over the state line into Alabama when a local officer hit Minix as he got out of his patrol car.

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Some who lined the highway for the procession held flags or stood at attention and didn’t know him personally. But they know what it’s like to have a loved one serve.

“Being a Newnan police officer, I couldn’t be more proud of him, today more than any other day,” said Blake Wilcox, whose son is a deputy. “And as soon as I found out. I sent him a message, ‘Are you OK?”

A couple whose son is a sheriff’s deputy out of state felt the need to be there.

“We watch what happened out here, all people coming out in the cold and braving it…it’s good for the soul.”

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A friend of the family saw them at the visitation and said Minix’s wife and three young daughters are taking the loss as well as can be expected.

“He was a good man, good dad, good husband,” Trina Hammett said.

She joined the route as the deputy received a final salute from the community he protected and served.

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