A father from Gainesville, Georgia, was arrested after trying to build a guardrail on a bridge where his 16-year-old daughter, Cecily Mcree Hamilton, died in a car crash. Cecily and her boyfriend’s car went over the edge of the bridge, and her father, Shannon Hamilton, watched as police pulled her body from the river below. He believed that a guardrail would have prevented the tragic accident, and although local officials agreed, the project was awaiting approval.
Feeling that the situation was moving too slowly, Hamilton took matters into his own hands and brought an excavator to build a temporary berm to stop other cars from falling off the bridge. Local authorities arrived before he could finish and tried to convince him to stop, but when he continued working, he was arrested for interference with government property. His son witnessed the arrest.
After being released on bail, Hamilton expressed understanding of the authorities’ actions, while receiving support from the community. He explained that he did not want to break the law but felt compelled to protect other families from experiencing the same loss. Hamilton has since been speaking at his daughter’s high school about the importance of safe driving as part of his grieving process.
Hamilton emphasized the importance of staying positive to cope with the loss, saying, “Tomorrow’s never promised,” and that sharing his experience helps him get through each day.
