AUGUSTA, GA. (THECOUNT) — Phillip Wasson, 49, a veteran Richmond County Sheriff’s Office deputy, and Heather Michelle Lanier, 57, of Augusta, died Wednesday morning in a head-on crash on Washington Road in Augusta. Wasson was driving his daughter to school when the collision occurred, according to the Richmond County Coroner’s Office.
The crash occurred shortly before 7:30 a.m. near the intersection of Washington Road, Woodbine Drive and Vineland Road. Wasson was traveling with his daughter, identified on his Facebook page as Athena, when his vehicle collided head-on with a U-Haul truck driven by Lanier.
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Wasson was pronounced dead at the scene, according to Coroner Mark Bowen. His daughter survived the crash and was transported from the scene on a stretcher for medical treatment. Additional information about her condition was not provided.
Lanier was transported by emergency medical personnel to Wellstar MCG, where she was pronounced dead at 7:35 a.m. Wednesday, Bowen said.
The collision caused significant disruption to the Wednesday morning commute as the roadway was closed while authorities investigated the scene. Officials have not released information indicating what caused the two vehicles to collide, and the investigation remains ongoing.
Wasson had been employed by the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office since February 2008. During his law enforcement career, he served as a road patrol deputy and spent many years assigned to the agency’s Motorcycle Division.
His law enforcement service followed a family tradition. His father, Phil Wasson Sr., is a retired Richmond County Sheriff’s Office captain and former head of Richmond County 911. His late stepmother, Dianne Wasson, served as chief of Richmond County Board of Education Police before her death in 1996.
The Sheriff’s Office previously recognized Wasson in 2013 for his response to a burglary in progress on Grand Boulevard. According to the agency, Wasson and Deputy Anthony Gregory arrived at the residence and arrested two of three suspects who were allegedly in the process of burglarizing the home.
The homeowner was inside the residence at the time and had called 911 for assistance while hiding in a closet. The Sheriff’s Office said the deputies’ quick response and actions may have prevented the homeowner from being harmed.
Wasson had also survived at least two motorcycle crashes during his service with the Sheriff’s Office. In May 2018, he was injured while pursuing a speeding vehicle on Gordon Highway near the Broad Street overpass.
According to a Richmond County Sheriff’s Office release, Wasson was attempting to catch up with a vehicle he had clocked traveling at more than 70 mph when he changed lanes and struck another vehicle. He lost control of his motorcycle, was ejected and struck the pavement.
Wasson was transported to Augusta University Medical Center following that crash and was reported to be in good condition. The driver of the other vehicle was not injured, and the Georgia State Patrol investigated the collision.
In another crash in 2020, Wasson was involved in an accident while operating his Sheriff’s Office motorcycle on Dean’s Bridge Road near the entrance to the county landfill. He was transported to Augusta University Medical Center, later released and continued his recovery at home.
Shortly before his death, Wasson had also shared a personal message on Facebook about his family. In a post published the previous weekend, he wrote about his belief that God had brought his wife, Stephanie, into his life and blessed them with a daughter.
The circumstances surrounding Wednesday’s collision remain under investigation. Authorities have not released additional details regarding the sequence of events that led to the fatal head-on crash.
Augusta is located in eastern Georgia along the South Carolina border, approximately 145 miles east of Atlanta. Washington Road is a major roadway serving the Augusta area and connects communities west of downtown with commercial and residential areas.
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