An animal control officer with the Hardeman County, Tenn. Sheriff's Office was killed in a single-vehicle crash on Jan. 27.
Officer Eddie Hamer, who also served with the Whiteville Police Department, died in the crash at the intersection of Van Buren Road and West Fork Road, according to WMC-TV.
The cause of the crash is under investigation.
The part-time animal control officer had been part of the Whiteville Police Department full time for about one year and was a reserve officer since 2005.
"Officer Hamer has spent countless hours serving and protecting this community as well as volunteering with the Whiteville Elementary School," Whiteville Police Chief Steve Stanley told the news station. "Our deepest sympathies go out to Officer Hamer's family."
Hamer's mother, Rosa, said that her son's goal in life was to be a role model and a mentor.
"He always wanted to make a difference giving of himself," she said. "Sometimes we get a long life, sometimes we don't. It's what you do with what time you have."
Funeral services for Officer Hamer were held on Feb. 1 at the Dixie Funeral Home in Bolivar, Tenn.
