Former Crawford commissioner in ICU, shooting likely accidental

Former Crawford County Commission Chairman Harold “Doug” Spillers remained hospitalized Thursday with a bullet wound to his abdomen.

Crawford County Sheriff Lewis Walker said investigators have yet to talk to Spillers about Wednesday’s shooting just before noon at Langford’s Welding at 1400 Ga. 341 S. in Musella.

“We waited to let EMS work on him,” Walker said. “We only have one side.”

Investigators have talked to 29-year-old Jonathan Raymond Langford, who was wounded in the hand by the same bullet that hit Spillers.

The single round came from a .45 caliber Rock Island Armory model 1911 that is now in evidence, Walker stated Thursday in an updated news release.

Spillers’ niece, Marilyn Thompson, said her uncle remained in ICU Thursday after an initial surgery Wednesday.

“They have to go back in and do more repair work,” Thompson said. “The bullet is still in the pelvis area.”

Spillers’ sons have yet to talk to him because he already was in surgery when they arrived at the hospital Wednesday, she said.

From what the family has heard and what the sheriff’s department has been able to ascertain, the shooting was an accident.

Another person was inside the building at the time, but Walker wants to hear from Spillers.

“We want to get his side to make sure there’s nothing else involved,” Walker said. “There was no argument or anything, so we’re thinking it’s going to be accidental.”

Langford’s father answered the phone at the welding shop Thursday afternoon but said he did not know exactly what happened.

“I don’t know all the details,” Chuck Langford said. “I wasn’t even here. I was on a job site in Forsyth.”

His son was treated and released from Medical Center, Navicent Health, but had to follow up with doctors about his hand.

Thompson was taking care of Spillers’ animals and his property while he was in the hospital.

Thompson said she remembers her uncle’s birthday party in July where he was bragging about being in such good shape for nearly 80.

“He ran around here carrying on, running around here all day,” Thompson said. “I’ve just been praying.”

To contact writer Liz Fabian, call 744-4303.

This story was originally published January 22, 2015 at 12:50 PM with the headline "Former Crawford commissioner in ICU, shooting likely accidental ."