Two Muscogee County sheriff’s deputies die of COVID-19 nearly one week apart, office says
The Muscogee County Sheriff’s Office is mourning the loss of two veteran officers who served the Columbus community for a combined 49 years.
Sgt. Sherman Pebbles, a 19-year veteran with the department, died Tuesday after a battle with COVID-19, according to a Facebook post from MCSO. “He was a dedicated, hard-working deputy, and one of the most warm-hearted members of our family.”
The news comes after Sgt. Bobby Williams, a 30-year veteran with the department, died Sept. 13 after a battle with COVID-19. Williams had been hospitalized at Piedmont Columbus Regional for nearly a month, WTVM reported..
Muscogee County Sheriff Greg Countryman told the Ledger-Enquirer that Pebbles and Williams were “giants amongst giants” to MCSO.
“These men were warriors and just all-around great members of our community,” he said. “We will continue to do our part to be there for their families through this difficult time.”
COVID-19 has been a challenge for the sheriff’s office and first responders nationwide, Countryman said.
“The level of interaction we have with the public for our job puts us at higher risk,” he said. “We never know what situation we are walking into when we are coming in contact with people out on calls, in court or in the jail.”
MCSO employees are required to wear a mask in public places at all times. If employees would like to get vaccinated or tested for the coronavirus, they have the option to utilize the jail clinic, Countryman said.
Seventeen other law enforcement officers in Georgia died from coronavirus in the past year, according to the Officer Down Memorial website.
This story was originally published September 21, 2021 at 4:34 PM.
