HELEN, Ga. — A pedestrian was struck and injured late Friday night in downtown Helen, according to witnesses at the scene. Officials confirmed the driver involved was Helen Police Chief Aletha Barrett.
The incident happened around 10 p.m. May 15 in the busy tourist area of downtown Helen. A photo provided from the scene shows two people assisting a person lying in the roadway as bystanders watch.
According to a source at the scene, the vehicle involved was a black, unmarked police SUV driven by Barrett. The SUV in the photo is parked in a crosswalk opposite a marked Helen police patrol car.
Traffic in the area was temporarily stalled while local law enforcement and the Georgia State Patrol investigated the incident.
The name and condition of the pedestrian have not been released.
Now Georgia has reached out to the Georgia State Patrol and Chief Barrett for comment. Neither had responded as of publication time.
This story will be updated as more information becomes available.
