You’re not supposed to leave the scene of an accident and abandon your car in the middle of the road. Even if you believe you only hit a deer.
According to a sheriff’s office report, at 3:42 a.m. on March 13, 2025, an individual called E911 and reported that there was an abandoned vehicle on Warren Carter Road. The caller said that he had looked around the area but didn’t see anyone nearby.
An officer arrived and discovered owner was Cortney Merritt. He called Merritt and asked her to return to the scene. She came back and said she thought she hit a deer. According to the report, Merritt stated she was scared and began walking down the road for about 20 minutes. Then she called a friend to come pick her up. The officer advised her to call 911 if it ever happened again.
Merritt was charged with leaving the scene of an accident and failure to maintain lane. She was booked into the Coffee County Jail and released on bond.