According to a public information release from Officer Aaron Wilson  of the Cobb County Police Department, the department’s Selective Traffic Enforcement Program (S.T.E.P. Unit) is investigating a three-vehicle collision involving a Powder Springs police lieutenant who was joining the pursuit of carjacking suspects.

The collisions occurred on Tuesday, December 26, 2023, at 2:44 pm, at the intersection of Richard D. Sailors Parkway and New Macland Road.

Powder Springs Police Lieutenant Robert Bodron was traveling west in a marked departmental Ford Explorer on Richard D. Sailors Parkway to join a pursuit of carjacking suspects that was in progress.

He had his lights and siren activated.

At the same time a Toyota 4Runner driven by a 56-year-old Hiram man, accompanied by a 53-year-old Hiram woman, was southbound on New Macland Road.

The police vehicle entered the path of the Toyota, which hit the Ford and went into a spin, coming to rest in the westbound lanes of Sailors Parkway.

The police vehicle meanwhile collided with a Honda Odyssey occupied by four women ages 29 to 63.

According to the public information release there were no serious injuries in the collisions, but the female passenger from the Toyota was taken to Wellstar Cobb Hospital and the four women in the 4Runner were taken to Wellstar Paulding Hospital, all for treatment of minor injuries.

The Courier was told by Captain Stallings from the Powder Springs Police Department that two of the suspects in the carjacking were apprehended, and a third is still at large.

The STEP Unit

The STEP Unit, which investigates serious or fatal traffic crashes, is one of the Cobb County Police Department’s Special Operations units, and is described on the web page of the Cobb County Police Department as follows:

“The Selective Traffic Enforcement Unit is responsiblPowder Springs police vehicle headed to join pursuit of carjacking suspects involved in 3-vehicle collisione for investigating all fatal traffic crashes, enforcement of traffic laws in those areas which analysis indicates an elevated amount of crashes. 

“They are also responsible for the administration and execution of the Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program. 

“They also take part in special security details, and investigate crashes involving Department vehicles when requested.”

The STEP Unit is commanded by Lieutenant Lane Johnson.