GAINESVILLE - A report out Tuesday indicated Hall County Sheriff Steve Cronic believes a combination of medication given to an injured deputy while he was hospitalized after a traffic accident caused his death.
Cronic declined to comment on the autopsy report Monday. But The Times of Gainesville reports that on November 28, the sheriff sent a memo to all employees of his office. He cited an autopsy summary done November 21 by DeKalb County medical examiner Gerald Gowitt.
White, 38, Lula was injured October first when his patrol car veered off the road as he responded to an emergency call.
Authorities said at the time his injuries were not considered life-threatening. Cronic spoke to White October 2 and said the deputy mentioned the possibility of being released from Northeast Georgia Medical Center the following day.
But the father of four -- who had worked in the department for ten years -- died early the next morning.
Cronic wrote that according to Gowitt, White died of cardio-repiratory failure due to being given a combination of the drugs morphine and the antihistamine Phenergan ``complicated by rib fractures and hypoventilation'' or shallow breathing.
Hall County Coroner Marion Merck confirmed the report's findings Monday night.
Northeast Georgia Medical Center spokeswoman Cathy Bowers indicated Monday the hospital could face litigation regarding White's death. She says an attorney for the patient's family has contacted the hospital. She declined further comment.
Tuesday
June 24th, 2025
12:20AM
