A well-known local Christian radio personality was called home Friday.
WCOP 99.9 FM station manager Bill Bruton was killed at 5:50 a.m. on Interstate 75 in an accident that also involved two tractor-trailers.
“Bill loved his Lord Jesus, his wife and family, his church and the ministry of WCOP,” said Bill Best, sales manager at WCOP. “He was one of the most ‘for real’ compassionate, humble, Christian servants I’ve ever known, and he will be missed dearly. That’s a quote from my heart.”
Best and Bruton had worked together for 20 years representing Toccoa Falls College at the radio station whose call letters stand for With Christian Oriented Programming.
The wreck occurred in the southbound lanes between Ga. 96 and Thompson Road when a tractor-trailer was rear-ended by another tractor-trailer.
According to Georgia State Patrol Officer Chris Coley, the first truck braked suddenly when the second truck struck it, causing it to jackknife. As a result, the truck sprawled across all three lanes of the highway.
Bruton’s 1995 white Ford Ranger slid under the jackknifed truck and he was killed instantly as the roof of the truck was crushed from the impact.
As traffic backed up to the Exit 142 at Ga. 96, motorists were redirected to the emergency lane of the highway for several hours.
Georgia State Patrol officer Kevin Sykes is in charge of the investigation.
Later Friday, the Rev. Don Daum of Countryside Christian Church helped out answering the phones at WCOP.
“We lost a fine man who was giving, and a man of mercy, and a good man in the community,” he said. “From what we know, we are thankful it was instantaneous, and it didn’t linger.” Among Bruton’s survivors are his wife Nelda, two daughters, one son and two grandchildren.
Nelda Bruton usually rode with her husband to work in the morning. She is office manager at the station where Bill was to host a morning show, Prayer Time, at 8:30 a.m.
“It was the Lord’s providence and mercy that Nelda’s here,” Best said. “She was a little tired that morning and decided she would come to work later.”
Even in grief, Best was eager to praise his late colleague.
“I want to honor the man who I worked with 20 years, and he loved Jesus and getting on the air in the morning,” he said. “Someone will fill his position, but will never take his place.”
