It was normal operations Thursday at the Hall County Jail.

Cells were occupied, food was served and medications were distributed.

But something was missing.

The jail staff was down one jailor following a Wednesday night wreck that killed deputy Anthony Seda, 21, of Flowery Branch. The wreck happened at about 7:30 p.m. when Seda lost control of his personal motorcycle on Interstate 985 and struck a guardrail fence.

Although Seda had only been employed at the sheriff's office for about a year, he had already developed a reputation among people he worked with.

"He was a good officer," said Capt. Mark Bandy, commander of the jail. "He did his job, and I never heard anything contrary to that."

Bandy described the relationship among the different shifts at the jail as being similar to a military company.

"These kids are a very tight-knit group and they stick together like brothers," he said.

In fact, Seda and three other fellow jailors had plans to move into a house together.

"We were pretty close and the whole shift is a tight group," said jailor William Weiss, who worked the same shift as Seda. "We worked side-by-side."

Seda's last shift at the jail was Tuesday night and Weiss said he would never have imagined that would be his last day working with Seda.

"I didn't want to believe it," he said. "I was just shocked and I think I'm still in denial."

Weiss described Seda as "a really good deputy, a really good friend and just somebody that was passionate about his career."

Seda was scheduled to transfer to the Uniform Patrol Division next week — a step toward his ultimate goal of joining the Multi Agency Narcotics Squad.

"He was just ecstatic about that," Weiss said about Seda's upcoming transfer. "I think he was going to do well with that endeavor. Absolutely."

Bandy agreed that Seda's ambition would have taken him a long way in the Hall County Sheriff's Office and possibly beyond.

"He was young and he was energetic and he was ready to go learn a new part of law enforcement," he said. "I believe he would have done good."

Law enforcement, more than most jobs, requires cooperation and trust among the force — something Weiss said Seda had no problems with.

"In law enforcement it's huge to have each other's backs and he's somebody that if you were working the floor with him — whoever you were or wherever you were — you knew he had your back," Weiss said.

Seda's impact on the jail's staff was felt not only among his shift, but others as well.

"We're in a time of grieving right now, especially the people that were on his shift," Bandy said.

Although Seda's shift was not working Thursday, its members still showed up to the jail for a debriefing.

"We had some chaplains in and we just sat around and talked to each other and gave everybody our support," Bandy said. "Everybody seems to be OK."

Funeral services are scheduled for 2 p.m. Sunday in the chapel of Memorial Park Funeral Home in Gainesville.