Savannah, GA – Savannah Police Officer Anthony Christie was killed in the line of duty on May 25, when his patrol vehicle was struck head-on by a tractor trailer as he was directing traffic at another crash scene.

Officer Christie, 37, responded to a report of a head-on collision just after 3:20 a.m., WSAV reported.

He was sitting in his patrol car with his lights activated, and was detouring traffic of off the roadway, when an 18-wheeler impacted the side of his vehicle, police said.

Officer Christie later succumbed to his injuries.

“Officer Christie was doing what many of our officers do every day when he was tragically struck this morning,” Savannah Police Chief Mark Revenew said during a Friday news conference. “We know policing is a dangerous job, but that doesn’t make incidents like this any less heartbreaking for our community, our department and the entire blue family.”

According to WJCL, the driver of the tractor-trailer was uninjured in the collision, and the investigation into the incident was ongoing.

Officer Christie joined the department in December of 2015, and was sworn in on May 19, 2016, WSAV reported.

The two-year veteran of the force was “passionate about serving his community,” according to his obituary.

Officer Christie was among a group of officers who received a Team Work Award for their role in the search and rescue of a missing child, who had been abandoned in a forest by a robbery suspect in 2016.

“Anthony was respected by his fellow officers and the people he came in contact with while on the job,” his obituary read.

Prior to his time with the Savannah Police Department, he served 13 years in the United States Navy, and continued as a reservist after joining the police force.

He was a decorated war veteran, and was awarded the Navy Good Conduct Medal, the Global War on Terror Service Medal, the Navy Achievement Medal, and the Global War on Terror Expeditionary Medal.

He had been married to his wife, Nicole, for 15 years at the time of his tragic death.

“The 200 Club of Savannah stands ready to help Nicole, forever,” vowed 200 Club President Mark Dana, according to WSAV. “We will never leave her side. We will provide her with financial support anything she needs.”

Savannah Mayor Eddie DeLoach said that Officer Christie’s death marked a “sad day in the City of Savannah,” WSAV reported.

“Please keep Officer Christie and all of our officers in your prayers,” DeLoach requested. “If you see an officer, please stop them and thank them for their service.”

Officer Christie will be laid to rest on Saturday.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of Savannah Police Officer Anthony Christie, both blood and blue. Thank you for your service.

Rest easy, hero. We’ll hold the line from here.