Pedestrian killed on I-75 after being hit by off-duty DeKalb officer, police say

Written by: A. Smith

Published December 31, 2025 @ 10:05 AM ET

A pedestrian was killed Tuesday night on Interstate 75 in Cobb County after being struck by a marked patrol vehicle driven by an off-duty DeKalb County police officer, authorities said.

The crash happened just before 9 p.m. in the northbound lanes of the I-75 Northwest Corridor near Terrell Mill Road, according to the Cobb County Police Department, which is leading the investigation.

Investigators said the pedestrian was walking along the interstate when, for reasons still under investigation, he entered the right travel lane and was struck by the patrol vehicle. The pedestrian suffered fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.

The victim’s identity has not been released because next of kin have not yet been notified.

The off-duty DeKalb County officer was not injured. The DeKalb County Police Department confirmed the officer has been placed on administrative leave, in accordance with department protocol, while the investigation continues.

Cobb police said the officer was driving a marked patrol vehicle at the time of the collision. No additional details about the circumstances leading up to the crash have been released.

Authorities are asking anyone who witnessed the incident or has information to contact the Cobb County Police Department at 770-499-3987.