Link for any interested in watching. Service should start at noon.

https://charlottenc.granicus.c...r.php?publish_id=669



Senseless death. She was my sweetest officer. Her second shift back from her maternity leave. Her husband is a firefighter for our city as well. And the three other officers injured will have physical as well as mental hurdles. Just doing their job.


Very hard day today. Harder week to come. Came home and held my kids tight. My last memory of her will be the big hug she gave me Friday.



https://www.wsoctv.com/news/lo...NVZCHFKGMXYDDKDHENA/


CHARLOTTE — A Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officer who had recently returned to work following maternity leave was killed and three other officers were injured in a crash early Wednesday on Interstate 85 in north Charlotte, according to CMPD Chief Johnny Jennings.

The collision, which involved two semi-trucks and four Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department vehicles, happened around 3:40 a.m. in the southbound lanes near Exit 45, at W.T. Harris Boulevard.

Just before 8:30 a.m., Chief Jennings tweeted “It is with a heavy heart that I share the passing of CMPD Officer Mia Goodwin.”



Jennings said Officer Goodwin, 33, served the University City Division. He asked for the community’s thoughts and prayers.

“Rest easy hero, we have watch from here,” the chief said.

The Charlotte Fire Department tweeted a statement saying, “From the men and women of ALARM, rest easy hero, you served proudly and selflessly ... we stand with you during this sad, difficult time.”

[ Tributes pour in across social media for fallen CMPD Officer Mia Goodwin ]

MEDIC personnel said their hearts were broken.

Gov. Roy Cooper said, “Our hearts are with family, friends and the Charlotte Mecklenburg PD on the loss of Officer Mia Goodwin who was killed on duty during a traffic collision. I have talked with Chief Jennings to offer support and sympathy. Grateful for officers who take risks every day to keep us safe.”


Jennings spoke at a 10 a.m. news conference, where he laid out the timeline of events that led to the collision.

According to the chief, at around 10:30 p.m. Tuesday, just hours before the collision, officers and state troopers responded to a crash involving a tractor-trailer. Channel 9 crews sent to the scene at that time could see a big rig on its side that had spilled what appeared to be grain all across the southbound lanes, near W.T. Harris Boulevard.

At 1 a.m., one travel lane was opened to allow southbound traffic to bypass the accident. Traffic cones were deployed around the work crew and police vehicles with emergency equipment activated.

Jennings said officers remained at the scene all night as Department of Transportation crews worked to clean up the crash. A few officers that reported for third shift were then sent to the scene to relieve the officers who had been there since 10:30 p.m.

Officer Goodwin was one of those officers.

(WATCH BELOW: CMPD gives update after officer killed in crash involving tractor-trailer on I-85)



At about 3:40 a.m., a semi-truck with a trailer collided with another semi (cab only) heading southbound and that collision then caused them to crash into the CMPD units who were working the original accident scene, Jennings said.

“Any officer on the scene pretty much was in the path of this collision,” the chief said.

One of the officers who was hit while she was in her vehicle called it in to dispatch and started assessing the injuries to the officers out there, the chief said. Officer Shannon Foster, Officer Sean Husk, and Officer Jackson Buffington were all hurt and taken to the hospital, where they were treated and later released.

Officer Goodwin was pronounced dead at the scene.

>> We have team coverage from the scene, the hospital, and CMPD headquarters and will bring you the very latest developments on this breaking story throughout the day on Channel 9 or wherever you stream WSOC.

The chief said the four CMPD units that were damaged in the wreck were all on I-85 when they were hit by the crashing tractor-trailers. Jennings said it was too early to say if any citations or charges would be filed.

He said one of the tractor-trailer drivers was also taken to the hospital. Police said they hope to talk to that truck driver as part of their investigation.

“We are asking for your prayers -- not just for the Goodwin family, but for all the CMPD family and for our great city,” Jennings said.


Jennings said Goodwin, who was a mother of three young children and was married to a Charlotte firefighter, was hired on Oct. 26, 2015.

“She was a loving mother to her three kids -- a 3-year-old, a 1-year-old, and a 4-month-old,” an emotional Jennings said. “Officer Goodwin had just returned from maternity leave just a few days prior to this incident. She’s also survived by her loving husband, Brenton, who is a firefighter with the Charlotte Fire Department. Again, we ask for you to lift us up in prayer. Pray for the family. Pray for the officers that were injured. By the grace of God, they were each released from the hospital today.”

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Fraternal Order of Police said it’s collecting donations in memory of Goodwin and all proceeds will go to her family. Learn more about how to donate here.

[ Who was Mia Goodwin, the CMPD officer who died in I-85 crash? ]

“I am always grateful and humbled by the dedication and commitment of our CMPD officers and Charlotte firefighters, and I know they are all hurting as we mourn for Officer Goodwin,” Charlotte City Manager Marcus Jones said in a statement. “Families go to sleep every night across Charlotte knowing they’ll be safe because of the courage, pride and dedication of our CMPD officers. During this time of year, when many families will be spending time together and enjoying the blessings of the season, I ask that all Charlotteans keep the family and friends of Officer Goodwin in their hearts.”

The violent early-morning collision caused one of the tractor-trailers to jackknife and the southbound lanes were shut down for hours. Channel 9 crews saw a major police presence and multiple ambulances. State troopers as well as the Charlotte Fire Department were also on the scene.

CMPD cruisers escort an ambulance to the hospital following a crash on I-85 in northeast Charlotte on Wednesday, Dec. 22, 2021.
CMPD ambulance escort CMPD cruisers escort an ambulance to the hospital following a crash on I-85 in northeast Charlotte on Wednesday, Dec. 22, 2021. (WSOC)
A CMPD vehicle with heavy rear-end damage was spotted off the side of the interstate and several officers could be seen surrounding an ambulance before it left for the hospital.

That ambulance, and another, received a police escort to Atrium Health in Dilworth, where dozens of CMPD officers had gathered.

“The officers, I can tell you, are distraught over what’s happened,” Jennings said. “They’re emotional over what happened. But what I also can tell you is that I thank God that the officers that did survive are alive today. If you see the aftermath of the collision and what happened, we are fortunate that we’re not talking about more officers that succumbed to injuries. But I was able to speak with each of them this morning and they’re doing as well as can be expected.”


Around 5:45 a.m., Channel 9 crews spotted a second CMPD vehicle on the scene that was also heavily damaged. Investigators could be seen taking photos and collecting evidence.

Jennings said Officer Goodwin was someone who loved her job, as well as the people she worked with.

“What I can tell you is Officer Goodwin was good friends with a lot of people -- former and current officers -- and I know that she had reached out and actually asked for guidance ... she’d been on about five or six years, and she’s already looking for guidance on how she can do more and how she can advance more within the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department,” the chief said. “You know, being in the University City Division, it’s a very busy division that keeps her moving quite a bit. And I do know that she had aspirations to do more. And that’s what we want out of all of our young officers.”


“I didn’t personally know her but what I can tell you from my conversations, is that she was an inspiring young woman who wanted to do more,” the chief said. “She was someone who felt like she had a lot to offer in this profession, resilient. And she loved the people around her the people that she worked with. So, I know that her and her husband are loving people and that they both had future plans and aspirations of their future and it’s one of these situations where we recognize now that life is not guaranteed and life is short -- and we have to embrace it while we’re here.”

Channel 9 could see more than a dozen police vehicles leave the crash scene around 5:30 a.m., escorting another ambulance in what appeared to be a procession for Officer Goodwin. Jennings confirmed that that procession had taken the fallen officer’s body to the medical examiner’s office.

It was unclear, Jennings said, when another procession would take place.

CMPD Officer Mia Goodwin was killed in an early morning crash on I-85 in northeast Charlotte on Wednesday, December 22, 2021.
CMPD Officer Mia Goodwin CMPD Officer Mia Goodwin was killed in an early morning crash on I-85 in northeast Charlotte on Wednesday, December 22, 2021. (CMPD)
“This profession is one that’s not for everyone -- but I do know that she knew it was for her,” Jennings said about Officer Goodwin. “And I know that she wanted to continue and make this a career and not just a job. So, you know, I have to give praise to any officers, any of our people, any employee that endures the challenges that we have to endure every single day. We put on this uniform and we know that there’s no guarantees that we’re coming home to our families, and that is the most difficult part.”

An apparent police procession escorts an ambulance to the hospital from the crash scene along I-85 in northeast Charlotte on Wednesday Dec. 22, 2021.
I-85 crash involving CMPD cruiser An apparent police procession escorts an ambulance to the hospital from the crash scene along I-85 in northeast Charlotte on Wednesday Dec. 22, 2021. (WSOC)
The crash remains under investigation but the chief made it clear that the tragedy could have been avoided.

“The only way this doesn’t happen is if people recognize that there are blue lights in the roadway,” he said. “Slow down and take extra precaution, and when you don’t do that you put the lives of men and women who are there to serve and protect in danger. And I think that’s what we’re looking at today. Officer Goodwin and the other three officers that were involved are heroes. They’re out there to protect and serve and do their job.”

Jennings said Goodwin’s death was the first traffic accident resulting in a CMPD officer fatality in decades.

“I’ve been doing this for 30 years. This is the first traffic accident that involved a fatality of one of our officers since I’ve been here,” he said. “I believe -- I’m not definite on this -- but as we look back, we believe the last time this has happened has been in the 1980s.”

The interstate was shut down for most of the day Tuesday but reopened by 4:30 p.m. Drivers were urged to avoid the area and traffic was diverted off I-85 at Mallard Creek Church Road.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: chongosuerte,

There are no words for this.

My condolences on the loss of your colleague

May she Rest In Peace

RIP

Prayers out to all the Officers and family members.

I learned of this tragedy this morning at the gym.

When I saw the over head view I knew instantly where the crash occurred.

I worked numerous fatalities in that area both with NC Highway Patrol and CMPD Major Crash Unit.

Edit:

Sorry for you loss chongosuerte..

I worked a couple of cases with Officer Husk..

Sorry Chongo…don’t have any words…

How incredibly sad and tragic

My condolences for the loss of your colleague, congosuerte.

EOW Off. Goodwin. My condolences.

My condolences to all of the family, friends and colleagues.

Absolutely heart wrenching.

So terrible. Prayers for her family, friends and co-workers. So sad. Sorry for the loss to you and your dept. Chongo. That has to be about as tough to take as it gets.

But please do not let your guard down. She would want you all to go home to your families.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: old rugged cross,

Good Lord, what a tragedy. So sorry for her husband and kids, family, brother and sister officers, and you, my friend.

So very sorry for her loss and for her family..

This is beyond sad. Prayers for her family and comrades.

Godspeed, Officer Goodwin.

Prayers for her family, her friends, for the loss your department has suffered, and for your City. I feel so much for her children, having lost my father suddenly this very day as well 32 years ago. They will ache over this loss for their entire lives.

I have absolutely no words, Chongo, other than to say that you and your brothers & sisters will be in my thoughts.

Just said a prayer for her husband and children, and the same for you and her colleagues. I’m so sorry that this happened.

So very sad. Rest in peace Officer Goodwin.

As horrible as this is, I'm thankful Office Goodwin did have a husband at home that those kids can at least lean on. May she RIP and best wishes for the officers still recovering.

RIP officer Goodwin. So many citizens underestimate the risks of her job, hopefully a few more will now understand and appreciate the sacrifices.

Tragic. Sorry for your loss. Thoughts and prayers for her family.

RIP officer Goodwin, prayers sent for her family, all the officers injured and the officers of the Charlotte PD.