Suspect Charged with Hit & Run after Destroying Davis Road Traffic Device

LaGrange Police have arrested a man on several offenses stemming from an incident where he allegedly fled from the scene after crashing into a pedestrian traffic control sign at the corner of South Davis Road and Hogansville Road.

Richard Wayne Langford was charged with Hit & Run, Driving on a Suspended License, and Obstruction of Officers on Saturday after LaGrange Police tracked him down and identified his as responsible for the crash.

Police began investigating the incident Saturday afternoon around 3:06 p.m. Officers responded to the area of Lafayette Parkway looking for a fleeing red Chevy truck that had reportedly hit an electric pedestrian crossing sign at the corner of Hogansville Road and South Davis Road.

A witness told police that they saw the red truck approaching the intersection at high speed knew the driver was going too fast to make the turn. The red truck then struck the electronic sign and eventually turned onto South Davis Road. The witness then followed the truck until it turned onto Lafayette Parkway.

Using video evidence, police were able to identify the suspect vehicle as a 1999 red Chevy Silverado pickup truck registered to Richard Langford.

Police were familiar with Langford, so they checked his residence and confirmed the truck was there.

A female at the residence answered the door and she stated Langford wasn’t there, claiming he was at the hospital.

When police asked if anyone else was inside the home, the female stated only her “Uncle B” was there with her. Officers then asked to speak with him and the female responded by calling out to “Uncle B,” saying police wanted to speak to him and that they knew she wasn’t driving the truck.

The female then said he didn’t mean to hurt anyone and that he was just afraid to go back to the hospital. She said he hit the sign but didn’t mean to, saying it was a big truck and he wasn’t used to it.

Eventually a male subject came to the door with injuries to his face. Police say they repeatedly referred to him as the false identity that was initially provided, which he did not contradict, but officer’s later located paperwork that revealed his true identity as Richard Langford.

Langford later admitted that he hit the sign and he did not have a valid driver’s license.

As a result Langford, age 62, was arrested and transported to the Troup County Sheriff’s Office where he was booked into the jail charged with Driving on a Suspended License, Hit and Run, and Obstruction.

The author of this article can be reached via email at info@troupcountynews.net.

Tommy Murphy
Staff Writer