ATLANTA – Atlanta runners are finding ways to honor the legacy of former US Olympian Jeff Galloway, who was widely known for his run-walk-run strategy, after his death on Wednesday at 80. 

What we know:

Officials say Galloway suffered a hemorrhagic stroke and died in a hospital in Pensacola, Florida. 

His daughter-in-law, Carissa Galloway, also a running enthusiast, shared a tribute to him through social media following his death. 

What they’re saying:

“With Jeff being the winner of the first Peachtree, he sort of automatically is a legend here in Atlanta,” said Rich Kenah, Atlanta Track Club CEO. 

Kenah says Galloway will likely be remembered most for inspiring so many people to lace up their sneakers and start running.

Running legend Jeff Galloway passes away in Florida

“We know Jeff in the running world as our hometown hero. You know, our celebrity. But he leveraged that celebrity to bring more people into the sport than anybody else that I can think of. I think that should be his legacy,” said Kenah. 

At a Thursday night run along the Beltline, the group held a moment of silence in Galloway’s honor. 

“He’s a big advocate for encouraging people to go and run. I was influenced by him. I ran my 1st marathon back in December of 2024,” said Alex Lewis. 

As the group took off on their run, they remembered the elite athlete who spent a lifetime motivating others to lead a healthy life one step at a time.
 
“Even though he was an Olympian and kind of like a celebrity in his own right, he still acted and talked to us normal people, just like a regular guy. He’ll be deeply missed here in Atlanta,” said Lewis. 

Atlanta Track Club officials say there will be a moment to recognize Jeff Galloway before the start of Sunday’s Publix Atlanta Marathon. 

They’re still planning how they will pay tribute to him at this year’s Peachtree Road Race. 

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – A deputy was fired for having sex with another deputy’s wife while on duty, according to personnel documents from the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office.

And it’s not the first time his love life has raised questions − he left a job in Aiken County after a similar problem.

Sgt. Christopher Chavous was dismissed after the matter was reported by the deputy whose wife was allegedly having the relations with now-fired deputy, according to the documents.

Chavous admitted it when confronted by an investigator on Feb. 16, according to the documents.

He said he first slept with her before Christmas and had continued doing so at least one or two times a week, according to the documents.

He also admitted that he’d done so at least once while on duty, according to the documents.

The husband said he’d suspected for some time that his wife had been sleeping with another deputy, but he initially didn’t know who it was.

Eventually, the husband tracked his wife on his phone to an apartment he knew belonged to Chavous, according to the documents.

Additionally, the husband showed Sgt. Walter McNeil, who was investigating the allegations, a video he’d obtained that showed his wife standing in the doorway of the apartment while kissing Chavous.

The husband also provided additional images of his wife’s car at the complex, as well as Chavous’ unmarked patrol car there.

The husband “advised that he doesn’t feel comfortable with the fact that Sgt. Chavous is in a peer support role with the agency, and he sleeps around with other Deputies wives,” McNeil wrote.

When confronted by internal affairs, Chavous admitted he’d been sleeping with the other deputy’s wife for about a month and a half, according to the documents. Chavous said he was going through a divorce of his own, according to the documents.

“It is imperative for all employees of this agency to always demonstrate sound judgment, both on and off duty,” McNeil wrote in the report. “Additionally, staff members must conduct themselves in a manner that upholds the integrity and reputation of the Sheriff’s Office. The actions of Sgt. Chavous fell short of these established standards.”

The personnel documents state the final disposition for Chavous, who also runs the Support 1 charity: “Termination.”

In response to the action, Chavous told News 12:

“I will have to refer to this to my counsel. I am appealing the decision.”

He faces certain investigation by the state.

Anytime a law enforcement officer is fired in the state, it automatically triggers an investigation by the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council.

Here’s a look at his POST records so far:

News 12 learned that before he came to Richmond County, Chavous retired from the Aiken County Sheriff’s Office in 2023 after a complaint of an inappropriate relationship with a confidential informant.

These sex scandals seem to be a recurring problem for law enforcement agencies across the CSRA:

• In January, we reported that Aiken County Sheriff Marty Sawyer took action to demote two employees for allegedly engaging in an inappropriate sexual relationship while on duty, according to officials.
• In December, we reported that deputy Diana Santiago was arrested after admitting to an “intimate relationship” with a member of a gang and using Richmond County Sheriff’s Office databases to look up information for that member while on duty.
• In 2023, we reported that an open microphone in a patrol car revealed that two supervisors had sex during working hours. They were demoted.
• Two other Richmond County deputies were fired after their relationship was uncovered. They were fired not for the relationship but for lying about it.
• In 2023, we reported that a deputy had sex with a woman who’d called 911. He was put on probation for one year.
• In addition, Burke County Sheriff Alfonzo Williams has been involved in a lawsuit by a former employee who alleges he was involved in sexual harassment.

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