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Monday, August 20, 2012

Off-duty deputy killed in crash - News from King George

Off-duty deputy killed in crash - News from King George

The woman who was the first female deputy in the King George Sheriff’s Office was killed in a two-vehicle crash Sunday.

Sharon B. Zwicker had joined the department on Nov. 1, 1981, and served for 27 years before she retired on Jan. 1, 2009, said Sheriff Steve Dempsey. The month after retirement,  she came back to work part-time and maintained that status, helping with civil processing and court security as needed, the sheriff said.

“She was certainly a valued person,” Dempsey said.

“She was beloved and appreciated by all around her.”

Zwicker was not on duty Sunday, when the accident happened. At 2:48 p.m., Zwicker, 54, was in her 2000 Saturn station wagon at the intersection of U.S. 301 and State Route 623 in King George. She failed to yield the right-of-way at the stop sign and was struck by a 2005 Nissan Altima, according to Sgt. Thomas Molnar of the Virginia State Police.

The impact caused the Saturn to overturn before coming to a rest, Molnar said.

Zwicker was traveling westbound on Route 623 and the Nissan was traveling northbound on U.S. 301 at the time of the crash, Molnar said.

Zwicker, who was wearing her seat belt, died at the scene.

The Nissan driver, April Hall, 19, of Chaptico, Md., and passenger, Collin Brooks, 21, of Mechanicsville, Md., suffered minor injuries and were treated at the scene.

The Virginia State Police Accident Reconstruction Team and the King George County Sheriff’s Office assisted with the on-going investigation.

Zwicker served as a school resource and DARE officer, Dempsey said.

“She was quiet, but you knew her presence was here in the school,” said Billie Jo Derrow, a math teacher at King George Middle School. “ She spoke with the kids, was there for them whenever they needed to talk to her about anything going on.”

After Zwicker retired, she worked with her husband, Morgan, in the family business, Pinehill Towing & Automotive. The Zwickers have two grown children.

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