Father Who Lost Daughter in Car Accident Arrested as He Tries to Build Safety Barricade

Brad Fox | April 15, 2015
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Shannon Hamilton had to watch his daughter get pulled out of a cold creek where she and her friend perished on March 15. Mr. Hamilton believes his daughter, Cecily Hamilton, 16, and her friend Taylor Swing, 18, might not have died if there had been a a proper barricade on the bridge.

“I gave her a kiss and told her I loved her,” Shannon Hamilton told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Monday. “Hugged her freezing body and said goodbye.”

Mr. Hamilton was arrested by police in White County, Georgia as he was constructing a temporary berm (raised bank) until the county could build something more permanent. Since he works in the quarry business, he decided he could handle it. He even planned a run-off channel for water and was using his own Bobcat.

Before he could finish, he was arrested, while his 18 year old son and community members looked-on. The deputies at first tried to talk him out of it, but he continued and was charged with interference of government property.

Cecily’s brother, Kale Hamilton, said that “White County wants to take their time in getting this accomplished so my dad did it for them.”

Hamilton said he doesn’t condone breaking the law, but has no regrets about attempting to prevent another family from the grief his is enduring.

“My baby girl told my heart to ‘do it, Daddy,’” Hamilton said.

County Manager Mike Melton said that the county is awaiting engineering plans to approve a permanent guardrail, but that there is no exact timetable when it will happen.

His son Kale captures this image as his father was first tried with interference with government property.

The county told him he would do more harm than good trying to construct a berm, though Mr. Hamilton actually has experience doing just that, and for much bigger projects.

"I have 15 years of experience in the aggregate industry that involves constantly constructing and changing roads, installing berms to help keep up to 100 ton haul trucks on haul roads that have up to 100' plus highwalls, he wrote to the county. He said anything is better than nothing when the county replied they would start construction within two weeks, reported WSBTV.

Melton said he understands Mr. Hamiltons is grieving, but that it is just something the county has to handle.

Mr. Hamilton said a community outreach and scholarship organization  has helped bring him comfort. He will also be speaking about drivers safety at White County High School, where Cecily was a varsity cheerleader.

“Tomorrow’s never promised,” Hamilton said. “It’s the way I’m grieving, and I’m staying positive to get through the days.”

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