Deputy Smallwood honored in Houston County

The streets of Warner Robins were filled with hundreds of people Saturday morning to honor the life and service of Peach County Deputy Daryl Smallwood. Law enforcement agencies from all over the state and some surrounding states came to honor their fellow brother in blue. Smallwood and fellow Peach County Deputy Sgt. Patrick Sondron lost their lives in the line of duty last Sunday while answering a call about a dispute among neighbors in Byron.

After the funeral, patrol cars, motorcycles, ambulances and fire trucks from agencies, along with friends and family, followed in the procession to Prosperity Church Cemetery in Rupert. When the procession arrived at Prosperity Church Cemetery, the North Carolina Highway Patrol Caisson carried Smallwood to his final resting place.

Smallwood served in the United States Marine Corp and then began his career in law enforcement as a jailer in Dooly County. He became a mandated officer in 2005, was transferred to Crisp County Sheriff’s Department in 2011 and then to Peach County Sherriff’s Office in 2015. He was a devoted husband to his wife, Melanie, and a devoted father to his children Daryl “Hawk,” Harlie Ann and Wyatt.

The Houston County Sheriff’s Office is sponsoring a benefit chicken dinner to raise funds for the families of Smallwood and Sondron. Dinner plates will be available for pickup Dec.10 from noon to 2 p.m. at the Houston County Sheriff’s Office located at 202 Carl Vinson Parkway in Warner Robins.

Tickets are $10 and can be purchased through Jeff Conner at (478) 284-5908, Daniel Watkins at (678) 386-6807 or Michael Dixson at (478) 297-2268.

A benefit fund account has also been established at the Combined Employees Credit Union in Warner Robins. For ticket sales and donations, checks are requested to be made payable to FOP No. 98. All proceeds raised will be equally divided between both families.

HHJ News