MOULTRIE, Ga. — A Colquitt County woman who managed nursing programs for prison and jail inmates was killed Saturday night in an accident in which an ATV overturned.

Amber Norman, 31, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash in the 200 block of George Flowers Road, Colquitt County Coroner Verlyn Brock said.

Georgia State Patrol reports were not immediately available. 

Norman had worked at Colquitt County Correctional Institution for about five years, Warden Billy Howell said, and about a year ago became a Colquitt Regional Medical Center employee overseeing nursing operations there and at Colquitt County Jail. She leaves behind a toddler daughter and a son in first grade.

Howell said that he last saw Norman on Friday afternoon when she checked in with him before heading to the jail and they discussed their weekend plans.

“It’s like losing one of your children,” Howell said, choking up during a telephone interview Sunday afternoon. “We all loved her. She was so smart. It’s just affected every one of my employees.”

Brock said that he was called shortly before midnight Saturday, estimating that the accident occurred some time between about 11 and 11:30 p.m. Two other women who were in the Polaris ATV at the time reportedly were treated at Colquitt Regional and released, he said.

The Polaris was the only vehicle involved, Brock said, and was overturned when he arrived at the scene. No autopsy was scheduled, and Baker Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

The Observer contacted a hospital to check on the other two women, who reportedly also worked in county nursing services. The spokeswoman could not immediately confirm their identities.

Norman was an excellent manager, Howell said, and her dedication both improved inmate health services and saved the county “thousands and thousands of dollars.”

“I told somebody the other day talking about her, I said she’s the future of law-enforcement medicine in this county,” Howell said.

“She worked (well) with the inmates; she could handle the inmates.”

No plans had been discussed about counseling for employees who need that service, Howell said, but he planned to speak with County Administrator Chas Cannon during the day and was certain it would be available. He also had been in contact with the Georgia Department of Corrections and said it would provide personnel to man the facility so that employees there can attend funeral services.

“She was so full of life as a young person,” he said. “She had her a family, she’s got two small kids. You just wonder why. I’m just so sorry for her and her children. She was just something else.”