TROUP COUNTY, GA – A homicide investigation is underway following the tragic death of Richard Hawk, a 64-year-old man from Texas, who was fatally shot in an apparent road rage incident on Interstate 85.
On July 30, 2025, at approximately 4:02 p.m., deputies with the Troup County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of a possible vehicle accident with injuries near mile marker 11 on Interstate 85. Upon arrival, deputies discovered a single vehicle in the median. The driver, identified as Richard Hawk, was found unresponsive and bleeding inside the vehicle.
Emergency responders extracted Hawk from the car and initiated life-saving measures. While en route to WellStar West Georgia Medical Center, medical personnel discovered that Hawk had sustained a gunshot wound to the head. Despite their efforts, Hawk succumbed to his injuries shortly after arriving at the hospital.
The scene quickly shifted from a suspected traffic incident to a homicide investigation, prompting the involvement of the Troup County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division. A witness to the incident reported observing aggressive driving between two vehicles on the interstate, indicative of a road rage confrontation. The witness provided authorities with a description of the suspect’s vehicle and its license plate number, enabling law enforcement to swiftly locate a suspect.
Officers from the West Point Police Department located the described vehicle within city limits. The driver, identified as Nytorian Allen, a 23-year-old resident of LaGrange, Georgia, was detained. The vehicle was impounded as evidence in the ongoing investigation.
Allen was transported to the Troup County Sheriff’s Office, where he was formally charged with:
– Murder
– Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of or Attempt to Commit Certain Crimes
Due to the incident’s proximity to West Point Elementary School, the school was placed on a precautionary lockdown. The lockdown was lifted shortly after the area was deemed secure.
This tragic event has deeply affected both the local community and those following the story, as a cross-country traveler’s life was cut short in a senseless act of violence. The Troup County Sheriff’s Office continues to investigate and is seeking additional information or dashcam footage from the public to aid in the case.
Anyone with information or evidence related to the incident is urged to contact the Troup County Sheriff’s Office at (706) 883-1616.