‘My Son Was My Life’: Former Milton Police Lieutenant Charged in Hit-and-Run Freed on Bond; Family Feels Dismissed

A former Milton police lieutenant has been released on a $15,000 bond after spending 89 days in jail for allegedly striking and killing a truck driver in a hit-and-run incident on I-75.

Christopher Bradshaw, employed with the Milton Police Department at the time, is accused of fleeing the scene after hitting 36-year-old Terrell Loudermilk.

Loudermilk’s family said the bond hearing left them feeling that the judicial system dismissed their grief. Cindy Hayes, Loudermilk’s mother, drove from Tennessee to attend the hearing. She told Channel 2’s Cobb County Bureau Chief Michele Newell, “He took my whole life away from me because my son was my life.”

The district attorney’s office had requested either no bond or a $100,000 bond, along with driving restrictions for Bradshaw. Prosecutors emphasized that this was only the initial step in pursuing justice for Loudermilk.

Bradshaw’s defense attorney, Chuck Boring, argued that there was no allegation of reckless behavior on his client’s part. “Loudermilk was standing in the lane of travel, and Bradshaw did not know what he hit,” Boring said. He added that Bradshaw cooperated fully once he realized a fatality had occurred.

Family members of Loudermilk maintain that Bradshaw fled the scene of the fatal accident on I‑75, highlighting a clear flight risk.

Investigators determined the break in the case came from debris left at the crash site, which carried traceable serial numbers. This evidence, combined with traffic camera footage, witness interviews, and assistance from the Cobb County Police Department’s Real Time Crime Center, allowed police to identify Bradshaw as the suspected driver. Public tips also helped locate the black 2020 Chevrolet Silverado believed to have been involved.

Bradshaw, who served as a lieutenant with the Milton Police Department, was terminated following the charges and initially avoided accountability after the incident. He was initally held in the Cobb County Jail without bond where he faces felony counts including hit-and-run resulting in serious injury or death and homicide by vehicle — leaving the scene.

Loudermilk’s family argues that Bradshaw’s flight from the scene, combined with the severity of the charges, demonstrates he should be considered a high-risk candidate for bond, contrary to the judge’s recent decision to release him on a $15,000 bond.

A different judge, Norman Barnett, had previously denied Bradshaw’s request for bond in September. Following his recent release on bond, Loudermilk’s family expressed continued frustration and sorrow, highlighting the lasting impact of the tragic loss.