Roll of Honor
Incident
Deputy Sheriff Ronald Bays was killed in an accident as he was responding to another accident. He was on Georgia Highway 8 when his patrol car hydroplaned during a heavy rain storm and struck another vehicle. Deputy Bays was a U.S. Marine Corps veteran. He had served with the Barrow County Sheriff's Department for two years and had previously served with the Statham Police Department for ten years.
Survivors
He is survived by his wife and two sons.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-GA-3CED6A74- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- April 2, 2026
- Last updated
- July 23, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew Ronald. Claim this record.
This page is permanent and free. No fee to view it, no advertising, no tracking, and no account required. It will not be taken down.
Tributes
I served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Deputy Sheriff Bays gave the Barrow County Sheriff's Office 12 years.
Thank you for your service to the Winder community, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
Ronald Eugene Bays served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.
Deputy Sheriff Ronald Eugene Bays is one of 10,088 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 31% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In GA, 263 of 903 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 29.1% of this state's fallen. That is 1.9 percentage points below the national rate of 31%.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Ronald Eugene Bays's cause is highlighted.
How Ronald Eugene Bays Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Ronald Eugene Bays is highlighted in Jan.