Clayton deputy critical after wreck with drunk driver

CLAYTON COUNTY, Ga. — A Clayton County Sheriff's deputy remains in critical condition after state troopers said a suspected drunken driver struck her in a head-on collision.

Now 26-year-old Christopher Lynn Brown, of Hogansville, faces charges of DUI, leaving the scene of an accident causing serious injury, reckless driving and serious injury by vehicle charges.

Deputy Amy Kemper was airlifted to Atlanta Medical Center after the collision.

Channel 2's Tom Jones talked to one of Kemper's longtime co-workers, who told him Kemper had just received a promotion.

"She's a supervisor of the student resource officers," Deputy Keith McLaughlin said.

Kemper was nearly a month into her new position as the student resource officer supervisor for the sheriff's office.

Now, the new job will have to wait as she tries to recover from the crash. McLaughlin said Kemper is in critical but stable condition.

"She's sedated right now. She's not able to communicate and talk with anybody right now," he said.

Georgia State Patrol said the crash happened Saturday night on Highway 29, near Lake Ridge Way in Coweta County.

Troopers said Brown's Chevrolet Blazer was traveling southbound. Kemper was in the northbound lane. Officers said Brown went into the northbound lane, left the road and ran over a mailbox. Troopers said he then returned to the road in the northbound lane and crashed head-on into Kemper, who was riding her Harley.

Riding her Harley is something Keith McLaughlin said she loves to do.

"As long as I've known her she's had a couple of different bikes," he said.

Troopers said Brown continued driving for nearly a mile before his damaged Blazer gave out.

Kemper's co-workers hope she makes a full recovery.

"Doctors said all of the signs look good and that she'll be recovering well from the surgeries that she's had.

Brown is being held without bond.

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WSBTV