Crime & Safety

Blood Drive Planned in Memory of Policeman Killed on I-20 Near Panola Rd.

Detective Shane Wilson was killed by a suspected drunk driver in 2011.

The DeKalb County Police Department is holding a blood drive in memory of Detective Shane Wilson, killed last year on I-20 between Panola and Wesley Chapel roads while responding to a call.Β 

The drive for donors takes place on Tuesday, Sep. 4 from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Fire & Rescue Headquarters, 1950 West Exchange Place in Tucker.

Wilson, 27, was responding to a home invasion call last November when he was killed by a suspected drunk driver headed in the wrong direction, according to Doraville police.

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The family is upset that the other driver, Gene Jones, 39, was released on bond of $265,000 shortly after being charged with DUI, vehicular homicide and driving on the wrong side of the road. "He's had too many chances. And now he gets to go home and gets to see his family and I never get to see my husband again," Katy Wilson told WSB-TV.

The Wilsons had been married for only two months and were the parents of a six-year-old boy.

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The DeKalb County Police Department (DCPD) was not involved in leaving Wilson's name off the state public safety memorial in May, said DCPD public information officer Mekka Parish.

The director of the Georgia Public Safety Training Center told Channel 2 that in order to be included in the state memorial an officer had to have been in the line of duty at the time of his death. The center issued a statement saying "new information" had emerged and that the committee will reconsider whether to add Wilson's name to the memorial next year.

Editor's Note: This article has been corrected from its earlier version to clarify the organization that was involved in the state public safety memorial issue.

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