Hartford death of corrections officer investigated

By Matt Elofson

Published: January 5, 2009

Hartford authorities are investigating the circumstances around the death of a Florida corrections officer who died Saturday at his Hartford home.

Police Chief Ben Berry said Timothy Fowler, 52, held an Alabama football game party at his Hartford home on Friday. He got into an altercation with another man during a card game at the party and later died.

Berry said Fowler apparently swung a flashlight at the other man, who then punched Fowler in the face. 

Police were initially called out to Fowler’s Springdale Road home around 4 a.m. in response to a man who was reportedly unconscious. Berry said Fowler was found unconscious in the front yard, but Hartford Rescue Squad members found him inside his home after people had already started CPR. Fowler was taken to Wiregrass Medical Center in Geneva for treatment.

According to Gretl Plessinger, a spokesperson for the Florida Department of Corrections, Fowler worked for 14 years in the Florida Department of Corrections. He most recently worked as a sergeant at the Northwest Florida Reception Center in Washington County, a state processing or
evaluation center.

Berry said foul play did not appear to be involved in Fowler’s death, but they would not make an official determination until an autopsy had been completed. Fowler was taken to Montgomery on Saturday to the state Department of Forensic Sciences for an autopsy.

“He was fairly intoxicated, and we feel like that may have played a part in his death,” Berry said.

Berry said Fowler had no physical injury to his body except some swelling to his jaw. He said there were about six people at home at the time of the altercation. Berry said no one else suffered any injuries.

Berry said Fowler lived with his common-law wife at their Hartford home.

“The altercation occurred out in the front yard, and he was either knocked to the ground or fell to the ground,” Berry said.

No charges have been filed in the death. Berry said he will continue to talk with the Geneva County District Attorney’s Office about the ongoing investigation.

“We hope the autopsy will reveal the exact cause of death, whether it’s blunt force trauma from the altercation or maybe alcohol,” Berry said. “There’s always the possibility he had a heart attack.”