south carolina trooper

1 South Carolina Trooper

South CarolinaTROOPER

Volume 25, Number 1 Summer 2012 www.sctroopers.org

SCDPS Director Leroy Smith SCHP Colonel Mike Oliver

SCDPS & SCHP Welcome New Leadership


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David M. Latimer III

Executive [email protected]

C.R. CooperPresident

[email protected]

B. G. DewittVice President

[email protected]

W.C. WestSecretary

[email protected]

D.J. Bron, Jr. Treasurer

[email protected]

SCTA Board of Directors

Gerald D. RothellTroop One

[email protected]

J.C. Ashley Troop Two

[email protected]

T.E. NanceTroop Three

[email protected]

J.A. CartierTroop Four

[email protected]

M.W. ThompsonTroop Five

[email protected]

D. A. McMurryTroop Six

[email protected]

R. H. Rowe, Jr.Troop Seven

[email protected]

M.D. TomsonHeadquarters

[email protected]

H. R. Deese (RET)Retirees Representative

[email protected]

CHANGE OF ADDRESS FORMIf you are moving, or have moved, please let us know! Simply fill out the information below and mail it to: SCTA Office, 4961 Broad River Road, Columbia, SC 29212 or you may fill out an online address change at www.sctroopers.org.

RANK: ____________ TROOP:______ POST:______

NAME:__________________________________________

ADDRESS:________________________________________

CITY/STATEZIP:___________________________________

MESSAGE TO OUR ADVERTISERS: As this publication is financed by monies received from advertisements, we express our sincere appreciation for your support. We strive to make this a high quality publication that will provide the best possible exposure for our advertisers. We encourage our members and all our readers to patronize those businesses who make this publication possible.

YOUR COMMENTS, PLEASE: Comments, criticisms, or suggestions for the magazine are always welcome! This is your magazine, and we need your ideas for articles in upcoming issues. Send news about your county and troop events, stories, awards, etc. Good quality photos are accepted. Please direct your correspondence to SCTA Office, ATTN: Editor, 4961 Broad River Road, Columbia, SC 29212 or via e-mail to [email protected].

ABOUT THE PUBLISHER: The SCTA is proud to publish the South Carolina Trooper magazine. Graphics by Rachel E. Cambre. Printing by Professional Printers. For advertising questions, please call (800) 633-2236, ext. 10.


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F E AT U R E S :14 SCTA Welcomes SCHP Basic #90

16-18 HighwayDedicationstoFallenOfficers

19 SCHP Retirees Get Together for Reunion

20 SCHP Honors Troopers/TCO Personel

21 Statewide Trooper of the Year

22 For York County man who revived his son ‘miracle’ adds meaning to Father’s Day

By Andrew Dys

25 SCTA Awards $5,000 in Scholarships

26 NTC Statement on IRS Notice 2012-29

and the Normal Age Requirement to

Public Pension Plans

By Atty Richard E. Mulvaney

27 A Trainier’s Bold Action Turns Disaster

Into Heroic Rescue

By Charles Remsberg

32 SCTA License Plate Available for Members

D E PA RT M E N T S4 Letters to the Editor5 Executive Director 6 Director7 Colonel8 Chaplain9 Line of Duty Deaths

10 Legal Assistance12 In Memoriam 29 Troopers on the Move33 News Briefs34 Store Items

South Carolina Troopers Association4961 Broad River Road ● Columbia, SC 29212

www.sctroopers.org ● [email protected]


Dear SCTA.....Letters to the Editor

Dear South Carolina Troopers Association,

I would like to thank you for the help you gave us during the difficult time of my mother’s passing. On March 14, 2012, my mother lost her battle with long time illness. I received the dreaded phone call one week earlier from “back home” that Mom did not have long to live. Because of the generosity of the SCTA, my three children were able to fly from Charleston, SC to Providence, RI to spend final days and say goodbye to Grandma. Death is never easy, but I cannot begin to express to you the stress that you relieved during this time. My entire family felt cared for and that meant the world to me.

From the bottom of our hearts, we thank you and appreciate you.

Respectfully, Brian T. Roberts and Family(Stephanie, Alexia, Gianna & Sophia)

Dear SCTA,

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Troopers Association for selecting me for [a scholarship]. It is very much needed and appreciated as the cost is very expensive. I hope to make every one of you proud of me and my accomplishments in life and would like for all of you to know that you had a big part in helping me succeed.

Sincerely, Christy Collins

Dear South Carolina Troopers Association,

Words can’t express how much we would like to thank each and every person that has helped us through this difficult time. The prayers, calls, texts, emails, food, gifts and visits helped us make it through each and every day. As we think back to when this all happened, we are so glad that we had family, neighbors, friends, teachers, troopers, classmates, church members, Awanas, preschool staff, churches, friends of friends, etc. to pray and help us through this.

Our son is a true miracle from God, and that is the only explanation that we can give. We truly appreciate everything that everyone one has done for us. We are very blessed and proud to have the people that we have in our lives. It is overwhelming, and we hope that you know we are grateful for it all.

God Bless and thanks again for all the prayers!!The Ross Family

The following letter is from Lane Ross, the son of Trooper & Mrs. Chuck Ross (Troop 4, Post B). Lane got trapped under the family’s SUV when it rolled on him, and his dad saved him. See page 22 for complete story.


Message from the Executive DirectorAlthough Director Smith has been on the job for the better part of seven

months, let me take this opportunity to publicly welcome him on behalf of the SCTA. When Director Smith arrived on the scene late last year, he was faced with the daunting task of rebuilding the South Carolina Department of Public Safety (DPS) and garnering the trust and support of employees as well as the public. Director Smith wasted very little time as he tapped Lt. Colonel Mike Oliver as the new Highway Patrol Commander. Colonel Oliver is well respected within the ranks of the Patrol and has done an outstanding job in returning integrity to the Highway Patrol. Both Director Smith and Colonel Oliver are men of character and are committed to making DPS respected and admired.

As most of you know, the Highway Patrol staffing levels are at historic lows. There are currently 772 troopers employed by the Department and, unfortunately, no new positions were funded in the upcoming budget year. As our population increases, so do the calls for service and unfortunately our troop levels continue to decrease. This fact has not gone unnoticed by DPS leadership and next year there will be an emphasis on increasing staffing levels.

In closing, let me share some information that some of our members may not be aware of. The SCTA is very proud to make available to our sworn members the SCTA vehicle license plate. I would be remiss if I did not take the time to recognize Dirk Bron for all of the hard work and dedication in making the SCTA tag a reality. Dirk spearheaded a campaign to raise money to facilitate the manufacturing of the SCTA tag at no cost to the SCTA. Please see page 34 for more information.

As always, please let us know if you have concerns or need assistance in any way. ▲▲▲

David M. Latimer III

“Both Director Smith

and Colonel Oliver

are men of character

and are committed to

making DPS respected

and admired. ”

ATTENTION SCTA MEMBERS:South Carolina Trooper is

YOUR magazine! If you have news, stories, photographs, awards/achievements, etc. that you would like

to share with your fellow SCTA members, please e-mail them to [email protected]

or send to SCTA Office-ATTN: Editor; 4961 Broad River Road, Columbia, SC 29212.

Show us the lighter side of your job!


Message from the DirectorI want to begin this message with gratitude. A day does not go by that I

don’t reflect on how honored and blessed I am to serve as your Director. I want to thank each one of you for your unwavering support and encouragement since my appointment by Governor Nikki Haley last Fall (2011). I am very encouraged by Governor Haley’s leadership on law enforcement issues and the General Assembly’s support of DPS and its initiatives.

I want to take this opportunity to express to you my appreciation and deep respect for what you do – putting your lives on the line for the safety and protection of others. This past month (May) when law enforcement memorials were held around the country, we honored and recognized the men and women who have been killed in the line of duty. These events honoring and remembering fallen officers are without question a most deserved moment in time, yet they are also a sobering reminder of the dangers you face while performing your daily duties. The S.C. Department of Public Safety is ever cognizant of this fact, and rest assured, we will never forget the 50 Highway Patrol Troopers who have given their lives serving the great State of South Carolina. In their honor, I am pleased to share with you that the S.C. Department of Public Safety Fallen Officer Memorial, located at our Blythewood Headquarters, is set to be unveiled this summer.

The men and women who comprise the S.C. Highway Patrol are an exceptional TEAM of professionals and highly motivated officers. You are the ones on the front lines putting your lives in peril and making sacrifices. Your families are making tremendous sacrifices as well. Your safety is certainly one of my highest priorities. In this regard, it is paramount that I have leaders in place to assist me in identifying and providing our troopers with the skills, educational tools, and necessary equipment for their ultimate protection and safety. Leading and managing the overall operations of the Florida Highway Patrol Training Academy, as well as serving as a former Highway Patrol trooper, has given me invaluable insight and experience into some of the issues and/or needs facing law enforcement. Please know I am here as your advocate. I understand that I am entrusted with maintaining highly skilled officers who can safeguard themselves and the public we serve, and I take this responsibility very seriously.

After getting acquainted with the operations of this great agency, and traveling across the state visiting with many of you -- the road troopers -- I made a number of organizational changes within the Department of Public Safety. Those changes significantly impacted the upper command staff of the Highway Patrol. I am confident that these restructuring changes allow for a more efficient allocation of our resources as well as ensuring you have a strong command staff.

We have been diligently working with the Governor’s Office and members of the Legislature on our FY 2012-2013 Budget. Even though the economy continues to struggle and the state’s budget remains stretched, we were able to present to the House Ways and Means Committee, and Senate Finance Committee, a summary request for “additional funding” for budget priorities. Our priorities for the Highway Patrol included asking for additional troopers, funding to purchase radios, funding to replace all of the emergency dispatch consoles in our five Telecommunications Centers, funding to purchase 125 law enforcement vehicles, and an increase in other funds authorization to include funding to pay for the increased cost of fuel, and funding for emergency contingency (used to respond to planned/unplanned events, natural disasters such as hurricanes etc.).

As of this writing, the FY 2012-2013 Budget is yet to be finalized; however, we are still actively seeking approval for each of these priorities.

Another state budget issue that impacts you, and other state employees, are the Senate and House legislative proposals being debated concerning raises for state employees. There are differing percentages for a general increase on the table, but (continued on page 12)

Leroy Smith

“I want to take this opportunity to express to you my appreciation and deep respect for what you do – putting your lives on the line for the safety and protection of others.”


Message from the ColonelI am privileged to be at the helm of the South Carolina Highway Patrol at

this exciting time in our history. I have been honored to work alongside our new director Leroy Smith to shape our vision as we enter our 82nd year of service to the citizens and visitors of our state.

We are fortunate to have Director Smith, who is a seasoned trooper, coming from the Florida Highway Patrol. He has been where you are and understands the realities and the challenges of a law enforcement officer’s job. He and I are committed to continuing to fight for increased staffing, better and safer equipment and the very best resources to continue to help you be competitive with your law enforcement counterparts. Retaining our best and brightest is a significant priority for us both.

Over the past few years, we have had to do more with less as our state and nation have struggled with difficult fiscal realities. We have placed a strong enforcement emphasis on speed, safety belt compliance, and DUI arrests. The fact that we have continued to hold down our fatality rate and increase our arrests, even as our strength numbers have been lower, is a testament to the professionalism and quality of your work.

We have encountered some rough waters since we took a 30 percent cut to our budget in 2009. And while it has been difficult these past few years, we have continued to save lives and create effective safety programs while avoiding furloughs and layoffs.

In addition, we have made it a priority to maintain step increases for our troopers and telecommunications officers, provide promotional opportunities and continue to graduate troopers from Patrol school. I believe these steps are vital to maintaining morale and showing our troopers that the South Carolina Highway Patrol is an organization that values our employees and the investment they make in this organization.

As we near the end of this legislative session, I am hopeful that both our troopers and civilian personnel will receive a pay increase. This will certainly be welcome news and we are anxious to see how the final budget picture will look. Also, in this legislative session, retirement was a hot button issue that generated a great deal of publicity and concern among our employees. It appears that any changes will not significantly affect current employees.

I remember my days of being on the road, and I know that equipment was always a concern for us. That’s why I want to bring you up to date on where we stand with our fleet. We have recently purchased our last Ford Crown Victoria, since that model has been discontinued. As our vehicles are replaced through attrition, the Dodge Charger will become our primary fleet vehicle. We are also testing other models including the Ford Taurus, Chevrolet Tahoe and Chevrolet Caprice. However, the Charger will remain our vehicle of choice unless another vehicle proves to be a more efficient and effective choice for our fleet needs.

Another exciting development in this chapter of our history is the memorial to fallen troopers, which has been placed on the grounds at SCDPS. We will hold a ceremony later in the summer to dedicate this beautiful granite memorial to those who gave their lives in service to this state. This monument comes as a result of much hard work and planning over the course of several years.

I hope this monument and our recent highway dedications to fallen troopers demonstrate our love and respect for those who gave their lives serving this state. Our families of fallen troopers truly are a part of our family and will remain so. In addition, I have been privileged to continue to meet and spend time with many of our retirees. They laid the groundwork for us and I am pleased to see both them and our families of fallen troopers present at our graduation ceremonies and other special events. Both groups hold a special place in our shared history.

(continued on page 12)

Mike Oliver

“Remember that no matter your rank, you are a servant of the people--fully accountable to South Carolina’s citizens and visitors. ”


Message from the Chaplain

“ Those were the

words that came out

of my mouth, but that

was not what I said!”

Larry and Janet were still laughing when they pulled into the churchyard.

Larry, with a smile on his face, explained the situation to me. On their way to

church, Janet made a statement that did not make sense to Larry, so, he repeated

it verbatim back to her. She listened intently as her own words penetrated her

brain. Her response was the reason for the laughter that ensued. “Those were

the words that came out of my mouth, but that was not what I said!”

It may be the words we say or the tone of our voice when we say it. Either

way, our words can create situations that take time and energy to move past.

This is not a new issue. In the New Testament, James addressed this very issue

in his first chapter. “Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow

to become angry.” (James 1: 19 NIV) More than once I have been reminded

that we were created with two ears and one mouth. It seems logical that God

wanted us to listen twice as much as He wanted us to speak.

James continues his writing by reminding us that fresh water and salt water

do not flow out of the same spring. What was his point? “With the tongue we

praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been

made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My

brothers and sisters, this should not be.” (James 3: 9-10 NIV)

Words can shatter someone’s confidence or build up the self-esteem.

Statements can destroy a person’s reputation or encourage that person’s resolve.

Because we are able to choose our words, we need to choose them carefully.

Each morning you should decide how you want to end your day. Will your day

end with the words, “Did I really say that?” The other possibility seems much more

appropriate. “May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be

pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.” (Psalm 19: 14 NIV)

Richard I. Coleman (RET) SCTA Chaplain

Did I Say That?


2010 D.K. Cusack (Lancaster)

2009 J.S. Nash (ACE Team)

2008 J.D. Haynes (Orangeburg)

2005 J.W. Parker (Sumter)

2002 K.J. Johnson (Berkeley)

2002 M.J. Rao (ACE Team)

2000 E.F. Nicholson (Greenville)

2000 D.T. Bailey (Greenville)

1998 J. Ham Jr. (Darlington)

1997 F.L. Lingard (Orangeburg)

1996 R.S. Hewitt (Florence)

1995 M.A. Chappell (Clarendon)

1994 R.L. Hester (Anderson)

1992 M.H. Coates (ACE Team)

1992 H.M. Godbold (Kershaw)

1991 D.H. O’Brien (Beaufort)

1991 M.L. Titus (Bamberg)

1989 H.M. Coker Jr. (Fairfield)

1988 G.T. Radford (Dillon)

1987 R.P. Perry Jr. (Williamsburg)

1985 B.K. Smalls (Jasper)

1983 J.R. Clinton (Chester)

1981 D.L. Alverson (Orangeburg)

1979 R.A. Mobley (Florence)

1979 W.E. Peeples (Colleton)

1974 B.W. Strickland (Lexington)

1973 F.H. Anthony (Greenville)

1972 R.O. Caffey (Orangeburg)

1970 J.A. Traylor (Sumter)

1970 A.A. Thomason (Sumter)

1969 R.V. Woods (Beaufort)

1966 M.C. Steele (Chesterfield)

1961 J.R. Riddle (Clarendon)

1959 H.C. Yonce (Greenwood)

1958 H.B. Ray (Orangeburg)

1956 A.R. Carter (Williamsburg)

1950 A.T. Sealy (Greenville)

1942 N. Nettles (Spartanburg)

1941 J.P. Monroe (Florence)

1941 G.G. Broome (Jasper)

1940 H.M. Smith (Chesterfield)

1939 W. Bell (Lancaster)

1938 L.L. Rhodes (Darlington)

1937 K.E. McNeill (Darlington)

1935 E. Hennecy (Florence)

1934 E.D. Milam (Greenville)

1934 H.M. Reeves (Richland)

1933 J.D. Cunningham (Spartanburg)

1932 W.P. Lancaster (Lee)

1931 R. W. McCracken (Chester)

The South Carolina Troopers Association dedicates this page to our fellow State Troopers who have made the ultimate sacrifice while serving the citizens of South Carolina. May their memories live on forever.


A Shooting or an Accident…Nobody likes to think about it!But, it can happen to any State Trooper at any time.

There’s a shooting or a serious accident….someone is hurt…you’re involved.

As an SCTA member, you are not alone! The SCTA is here to protect your rights.

If it happens to you:Don’t panic! Calm down and compose yourself.•Don’t rush into making a statement.•

If you are asked to make a statement, call O’Leary Associates

1-866-521-1078O’Leary Associates will provide you with an attorney prior to making a statement—either

on the scene or wherever needed.

Wait until you talk to the SCTA Attorney before making any statements, oral or written.

The SCTA is serious about protecting you!


With the SCTA’s Legal Assistance Benefit…

“Do I need Board approval?” NO!

“Do I need the general membership’s approval?” NO!

“Will personalities be involved in my request” NO!

Under the Legal Assistance Benefit of the SCTA, only three simple questions are asked:

Are you an SCTA member in good standing?1.

Were you an SCTA member on the day of the incident?2.

Was the incident within the scope of your official duties as a State Trooper?3.

As an SCTA member, you have available to you 24-hour, on the scene coverage.

The SCTA is here for you when it counts!

For Legal Assistance, Contact O’Leary Associates

866.521.1078 or 803.779.5556


Henry M. Addy, who passed away November 25, 2011.

Betty Ruth Martin, who passed away November 29, 2011.

Nadine D. Broadwell, who passed away December 20, 2011.

Loree S. James, who passed away December 23, 2011.

Ella S. Perreyclear, who passed away December 24, 2011.

Rudolph C. Smith, who passed away December 31, 2011.

Lee Roy Riddle, who passed away January 5, 2012.

Edward C. Till, Jr., who passed away January 14, 2012.

Clarence J. Lawson, Jr., who passed away February 28, 2012.

Walter Belue, who passed away February 29, 2012.

Audrey M. Pace, who passed away March 15, 2012.

Furman C. Browning, Jr., who passed away March 17. 2012.

Jean L. Peebles, who passed away March 21, 2012.

Roy C. Allen, Jr., who passed away April 8, 2012.

William L. Swinford, who passed away April 22, 2012.

James C. Jolley, Sr., who passed away May 10, 2012.

IN MEMORIAM

(Director’s Message-continued from page 6)there is consensus by both legislative bodies on giving law enforcement officers -- those earning less than $50,000 yearly -- an additional percentage increase. State employees have gone without a raise for three years, so this is progress, including a little extra for law enforcement.

The last few years have taken quite a toll on state government resources, and society as a whole. It will take time and our progress might be slow, but I believe we are turning the corner. I am hopeful for the future of law enforcement. I want you to know I am ready to do anything that will bring increased safety to you and the public, and I will remain focused on addressing your current staffing issues, enhancing your training, and looking for ways to improve morale and communications within the Highway Patrol.

Your dedication and professionalism inspire me, and I am honored to be on your TEAM. May God bless and keep each of you safe.

. ▲▲▲

(Colonel’s Message-continued from page 7)Finally, as we celebrate the successes and

accomplishments during this time, I hope you see your time here as an investment. Not simply a job but a mission. I hope you get up every day with the broader picture in mind. Remember that no matter your rank, you are a servant of the people – fully accountable to South Carolina’s citizens and visitors. I hope you are committed to helping me make this chapter in SCHP’s history one of the most successful.

I close with my deepest respect and appreciation for your dedication and service to our lifesaving mission of Courtesy, Efficiency and Service.

. ▲▲▲

Editors Note: Director Leroy Smith was confirmed as SCDPS Director, by the SC Senate, on March 12, 2012.


On December 16, 2011, the South Carolina Highway

Patrol welcomed 36 members to the ranks of South

Carolina’s Finest. The graduates began work in their

assigned posts on

December 19, 2011.

Governor Nikki Haley

spoke to the graduates.

Upon receiving the Oath

of Office, awards were

presented. This year,

two of the awards were

presented to one trainee.

Christopher J. Grimes

received both the Israel Brooks Jr. Physical Fitness

Award, named after the late patrolman Israel Brooks, Jr.

. who passed away in September 2007, as well as the

Colonel P.F. Thompson Outstanding Achievement

Award. The Captain

Dilworth Firearms

Award was presented

to Joshua G. Bower.

The TCO trainers

for SCHP Basic #90

were David Leiter

and Pam Cribb. The

Administrative staff

included Kathy

Solkofske, Mona McFarlan and Ashley Engram.▲▲

SCTA Welcomes Newest Troopers: SCHP Basic #90


David G. Askins Calhoun / Orangeburg

Christian P. Basel Colleton / Dorchester

James R. Blaylock Lexington

Joshua G. Bower Laurens/Newberry

James T. Bumgarner Greenville

Stephen J. Byrd Edgefield/McCormick/Saluda

Aaron P. Campbell Greenville

Ryan G. Conyers Sumter/Clarendon

Arthur D. Cook Beaufort/Jasper

Stephen A. Cotellese Calhoun / Orangeburg

Lori J. Cothran Greenville

Eren Demirer Horry

Zachary R. Dolman Laurens / Newberry

Jacob W. Drake Anderson

Mark H. Dulude York

Christopher J. Grimes Lexington

James S. Guerry Lexington

David B. Gulley Richland

Mark T. Haithcock Beaufort / Jasper

Christopher L. Hall Berkeley / Charleston

Timothy O. Jacobs, Jr. Georgetown / Williamsburg

Jamey J. Johnson Horry

Jason Jones Dillon / Florence / Marion

Sidney T. Loftis Spartanburg

Ronald J. McCoon Sumter/Clarendon

Michael L McKenzie Dillon / Florence / Marion

Cedric D. Morgan Chester / Fairfield

Paul J. Morrison Dillon/Florence/Marion

Matthew A. O’Donnell Spartanburg

Justin M. PateGeorgetown / Williamsburg

Jared W. Revels York

BJ Robinson Abbeville / Greenwood

Brian N. Trotter Richland Adam C. WestmorelandAnderson

Tad H. Woovis Berkeley / Charleston

Justin K .Wright Spartanburg

Members of SCHP Basic 90 wait for the SCTA-sponsored dinner SCDPS Director Leroy Smith addresses SCHP Basic 90

Congratulations, Basic 90, and welcome to the SCHP Family!


On May 3, 2012, the South Carolina Department of Public Safety announced that a portion of SC 215 in Fairfield County would be dedicated to Patrolman Ralph W. McCracken, the first trooper to ever die in the line of duty. SC Department of Transportation officials joined troopers and SCDPS officials, along with Patrolman M c C r a c k e n ’ s granddaughter, Ms. Nancy Brandt, for the ceremony. Patrolman McCracken was killed in 1931, on SC 215 in Fairfield County.

The dedication was held at Cool Branch Baptist Church in Blair to unveil the highway sign in his honor.

L/Cpl. Billy Elder discovered Patrolman McCracken’s death while he was doing research surrounding another line-of-duty death.

Patrolman McCracken attended school in Branchville. On July 1, 1930, he joined the South Carolina Highway Patrol. He was one of the first patrolmen when the Patrol

officially began operation on October 1, 1930. One year later, he was en route from Chester, where he was stationed, to Columbia on his Patrol motorcycle. He had

been given a special duty assignment as a member of a group of South Carolina Highway patrolmen sent to Virginia to help with the s e s q u i c e n t e n n i a l celebration of the Battle of Yorktown. The 12 patrolmen were to meet in Columbia to travel together.

Near the Fairfield/Union County line, McCracken topped a hillcrest where a mail carrier vehicle had stopped. He was unable

to avoid a collision and ran head-on into the mail carrier’s car. He died instantly, becoming the first patrolman to lose his life serving the State of South Carolina.

Patrolman McCracken was inducted into the South Carolina Law Enforcement Officers Hall of Fame, along with six others. ▲▲

Section of SC 215 Dedicated to memory of First Patrolman to Die in Line of Duty


In May 2012, the South Carolina Highway Patrol and SC Department of Transportation dedicated a stretch of Interstate 20 in Lexington County in honor of Patrolman Ben W. Strickland who was shot during a traffic stop in 1974. The Patrolman Ben W. Strickland Memorial Highway is near the 49 mile marker on I-20 where Patrolman Strickland was killed.

“This is a very solemn and special occasion for the South Carolina Highway Patrol,” said Col. Mike Oliver. “It proves that regardless of the number of years that may pass, the sacrifices made by these fallen troopers continue to hold a place of honor within this organization and the State of South Carolina.”

Strickland was 40 years old at the time of his death.

He was survived by his wife, Bobbie Strickland of Lexington and two sons, Steven and David. Strickland grew up in Dorchester County. He served in the United States Army and as a St. George police officer before joining the Highway Patrol. He served in the Lexington County area for his entire 16 years on the Patrol.

Patrolman First Class Strickland was on duty in Lexington County when he arrested a driver during a traffic

stop. The passenger of the vehicle shot and killed Patrolman Strickland.

▲▲*Reprinted, in part, from

SCDPS website

Editors Note: Patrolman B.W. Strickland’s name was added to the Lexington County Fallen Officers’ Memorial on May 17, 2012.

Patrolman Ben W. Strickland (EOW May 31,1974) Remembered by Roadway Dedication


In May 2012, the South Carolina Highway Patrol

and SC Department of Transportation dedicated a

stretch of Highway 72 in York County in honor of

Coropral J.R. Clinton who was gunned

down in a heinous act during a traffic

stop. He was only 40 years old when he

died. The marker will serve as a tangible

reminder of the place law enforcement

officers hold in preserving peace and

bringing order to our communities.

Scott Willard, a trooper who worked

for CPL Clinton, said he learned many

lessons from his supervisor. He remembers what a

people person CPL Clinton was and how he always

smiling. Willard said John never met a stranger.

Although 28 years have passed since CPL Clinton

died while serviing the citizens of South Carolina,

Willard said he still recalls clearly the tragic day when

John was killed and the impact this loss had on the

Highway Patrol. Willard remembered that

CPL Clinton was right there with those

he supervised and working with him

was always eventful. Willard remembers

how detail-oriented CPL Clinton was

when conducting investigation.

A York County native, CPL Clinton

was known and well-loved in his

community. He spent his entire Highway

Patrol career (16 years) in the Troop Four area.

Clinton is survived by his wife, Mrs. Sue Clinton,

and his daughters - Ms. Ginger Funderburk and Ms.

Robin Rogers. ▲▲

Corporal John R. Clinton (EOW May 24, 1983)Remembered by Roadway Dedication


SCHP Retirees met in Myrtle Beach at Springmaid Beach November 7-9, 2011, for their annual reunion. The reunion gives the group an opportunity to catch up, reminisce, and have a great time. This year, there were approximately 80 attendees. SCHP Training Staff even had a reunion (bottom picture).

SCHP Retirees Get Together for Annual Reunion


Highway Patrol Honors Troopers, Telecommunications Personnel for 2011

On May 15, 2012, the South Carolina Highway Patrol

recognized troopers and telecommunications personnel

from around the state at the Trooper/TCO of the Year

ceremony in Blythewood. The Highway Patrol, joined by

SCDPS Director Leroy Smith, recognized valor, attention

to detail and overall outstanding work ethic for the men

and women that make up the Highway Patrol, which has

more than 900 employees.

Director Smith and Col. Mike Oliver named Senior

Trooper Anthony B. Fox, Troop Five, as the 2011 Trooper

of the Year for the entire state. The Highway Patrol also

recognized a winner from each of the seven Troops

and three specialty unit Troops. Following are the 2011

recipients by Troop:

Troop One: S/TPR Adam Antley, Post C (Lexington)

Troop Two: L/CPL Benji Humphries, Post E (DUI Team)

Troop Three: TFC Jeremy M. Pickens, Post A (Anderson)

Troop Four: S/TPR Brian L. Allison, Post A (Cherokee/Union)

Troop Five: S/TPR Anthony B. Fox, (DUI Team)

Troop Six: TPR Jessea D. James, Post A (Berkeley/Charleston)

Troop Seven: L/CPL John C. Francis, Post B (Orangeburg/Calhoun)

Troop Eight: CPL Anthony H. Bokern, Region V Motor Unit

Troop Nine: L/CPL Judd Jones, Community Relations Office

Troop Eleven: SGT Jaime Cardona, DPS Employment Unit

The Telecommunications Officers were also recognized for

outstanding service to the public and support to the troopers.

Telecommunications Personnel:Ms. Nicole Bloodgood, Charleston TCC

*Ms. Lauren Barron, Blythewood TCCMs. Kimberly Rucker, Greenwood TCCMatthew J. Butler, Florence TCCMs. Hope Nichols, Greenville TCC


S/TPR Fox works in Troop Five and has been with the Highway Patrol since 2008. He currently serves on the DUI Team. Fox’s investigative skills during a traffic stop helped lead Clarendon County investigators to the arrest of a suspect in a woman’s murder.

On November 23, 2011, a BOLO for a possible impaired driver was dispatched in Florence County. S/TPR Fox conducted a traffic stop on the wanted vehicle and subsequently arrested the driver for Driving Under the Influence.

While completing an inventory of the suspect’s vehicle, S/TPR Fox noticed several pieces of property including women’s jewelry, televisions, CD players and a wallet belonging to a female with a Clarendon County address.

Further investigation revealed that on the same day as Fox’s traffic stop, the suspect had allegedly entered a female’s home with intentions of burglary but killed her when she returned home and found the suspect inside her home. The suspect was later charged with homicide.

Statewide Trooper of the Year:Senior Trooper Anthony B. Fox

Col. Oliver, S/TPR Fox and Director Smith

Post Critical Incident Seminar

A Three-Day Training for Law Enforcement

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The South Carolina Law Enforcement Assistance Program2501 Heyward Street

Columbia, South Carolina 29205Office: 803-252-2664

Fax: 803-252-2841www.scleap.org

Next PCIS: February 8-10, 2010July 19-21, 2010(Lexington, SC)


In late March, Trooper Chuck Ross had to take a Highway Patrol recertification class for cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

Chuck moaned about taking a refresher course. He figured he knew all he needed. He is a guy, and guys complain when they have to go to training

– whether the guy is a cop for three years after a career in construction or not.

Just two weeks later, that training saved his son’s life.

The family’s SUV rolled onto Lane Ross – just 6 then – trapping him underneath the front passenger tire at the family’s home in Lesslie.

The CPR Chuck performed on his son breathed into the lifeless Lane.

“I didn’t have to think; I just acted,” Chuck said last week, just days before Father’s Day.

“I just did it – and I have my boy here because of knowing how to save him.”

‘He’s asleep under the car’After working a day shift on

the roads on April 5, with all the paperwork of that day’s tickets and wrecks still to be done, Chuck came home to Lesslie southeast of Rock Hill to find his wife and kids hungry.

Instead of doing the paperwork first like he does almost every other night, Chuck decided to go out to eat with the family and hustled upstairs to change.

Kathi Ross had the three kids strapped into the car – Lane, the oldest; Paizlei, 3; and Bailei, 18 months old.

A storm was coming. Kathi told her son to get his bike from in front of the car and put it away. She rushed back

into the house to get a bag of chips to calm down three hungry kids.

Just seconds later, she heard Paizlei yelling, “Lane needs help! He’s asleep under the car.”

“I helped,” Paizlei recalled, all these weeks later.

The SUV was on top of Lane, who was on top of his bicycle. His legs and most of his midsection were underneath the car, his head and neck sticking out.

“We still don’t know how it happened,” Kathi said of how the vehicle moved. “It just jumped.”

Kathi ran screaming into the house for her husband. Chuck came rushing down the stairs half-dressed.

“I heard the type of yell, her screams, and I just ran as fast as I could,” Ross said. “And there I saw my son underneath the tire.”

“His arms were not moving and were turning purple. His mouth and nose were turning dark, almost black. He wasn’t breathing.”

The bicycle tire was sandwiched around Lane like a taco shell – under and over his torso, between his chest and the tire on one side, between his back and the pavement on the other side.

‘Your dad is here for you’Chuck did not panic.

“The biggest calmness came over me,” he said.

Chuck did what fathers do: He saved his son.

Chuck moved his mother-in-law out of the way, shifted the SUV from park into reverse, and rolled it back a foot or so off Lane’s tiny, motionless body.

He ran around to where Lane lay, checked for a pulse. Finding none,

he moved Lane’s head slightly and laid him flat.

Chuck then started to breathe his breath into Lane’s mouth, just as he had been taught

in those CPR classes. In between breaths, he spoke calmly to his son.

“Breathe, son; breathe through your nose, pal, just breathe for your daddy. Breathe that good air and hang on and your dad is right here. Your dad is here for you.”

All this was going on as Kathi and others were hysterical. Chuck told them to move away.

“I didn’t want them to see Lane – what I thought might be happening to Lane,” he said.

Seconds seemed like hours. Time slowed to a crawl. Breaths went in, but none came out.

Finally, after a minute or more, Lane’s left eye twitched.

“I knew that he was with me,” Chuck said.

Both eyes twitched as breaths from father to son continued.

“Then he coughed, gasped and started breathing,” Chuck said. “I asked him if he could feel his fingers, his legs, his feet.

“He could even talk then, and knew what day of the week it was – it was a Thursday – and that we had been to the Harlem Globetrotters show two weeks before.”

For York County man who revived his son, ‘miracle’ adds meaning

to Father’s DayLesslie man who revived his 6-year-old son says now,

time with kids is ‘priceless’By Andrew Dys

The family’s SUV rolled onto Lane Ross – just 6 then – trapping him underneath the front

passenger tire at the family’s home in Lesslie.


The storm that day was so bad it had grounded a hospital helicopter, so Lane had to go by ambulance to Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte.

Lane never cried. Not once that day. Not since.‘Superman’ holding carHere’s what Lane remembers:

“I was picking up my bike, it took maybe a second, and then the tire was on top of me. I remember telling my sister to go get help. I screamed loud as I could, then I went to sleep.

“But I wasn’t scared.”After that, Lane can’t remember seeing his father, but

he remembers hearing his father telling him to breathe.“He kept saying breathe through my nose, I remember

that,” Lane said. “I was kicking my legs under the car. I thought I could kick and get out. I couldn’t.”

Lane’s lower leg was burned severely after pressing against the motor’s exhaust header pipes sticking out underneath the hot engine.

His pancreas and liver and a kidney were damaged. A lung was pushed in but not punctured.

Somehow, his tiny ribs did not break under the weight of the truck.

“It was hot under there,” Lane said. “That I remember.”

Lane’s tiny body and flexible young bones – plus the bike tire and rim wrapped around him like a tortilla – kept his ribs from being crushed and causing further damage, his parents said.

Lane’s back still bears the imprint of the bicycle on it, and you can still see burns and a tire imprint on his belly.

He spent days in intensive care. The nurses called Lane “Superman,” since he could hold up a car all by himself.

“It is a miracle; it is God that wrapped his arms around my son, put that tire around him,” Chuck said.

“It can’t be anything else.”But there was something else. There was Trooper

Chuck Ross and his quick action.‘Not about the uniform’During Lane’s time in the hospital, troopers from the

same area Chuck works, which includes York County, were at the hospital 24 hours a day, seven days a week – helping and offering support for one of their own.

Money to pay huge medical bills and costs of the accident was raised by churches and troopers and so many others – including Kathi’s colleagues at Belleview Elementary School in Rock Hill, where she teaches fifth grade.

“The people who helped – the Highway Patrol, the community, the teachers who work with me, the churches, the prayers, the donations – it was just amazing,” Kathi said.

“The prayer lists, the church groups, the gifts and meals – it is all just awesome.”

Cpl. Brian Benfield helped coordinate the troopers’ efforts to help the family, which included donating some of the proceeds of Monday’s annual Frank Bobo charity golf tournament that raises money for Special Olympics and other causes.

Benfield used CPR to help his own son after a seizure three years ago, and he never forgot what it was like to have to act with resolve or “think about your boy in a casket.”

“It’s not about the uniform, the insignia of the Highway Patrol,” Benfield said. “It is a little boy that has a second chance in life.

“One of our brothers needed us. We did what we do – help. It is all about helping a family in need.”

Lane’s accident has had such an impact on the Highway Patrol that CPR will remain part of the training for all troopers, despite budget cutbacks and decisions about spending that all agencies are facing, said Sergeant Bryan

McDougald, a patrol spokesman.Chuck said the whole

terrifying ordeal has reaffirmed the importance of taking time for children.

“You never realize how much time with your family means

– playing catch with your son – until he is almost gone, and you can’t play catch anymore, maybe,” Chuck said. “It changed how I see things.”

“No matter how tired I am, how grouchy after a long day, I make time because that is what fathers do.”

‘He ran like the wind’When Lane was still recovering,

before he could play on his peewee baseball team again, his teammates invited him to throw out the first

pitch at a game. Of course, his dad caught that pitch.“Boy, he threw it right down the middle – a strike,”

Chuck said. “He was still recovering, but he threw it. To me. Every time a dad plays catch with a boy, that was what that meant on that field.”

“That one time I needed to use CPR made it possible. It is priceless.”

After missing weeks of the coach-pitch peewee baseball season because of his injuries, Lane returned to the lineup in mid-May for the Buckeyes’ game in the league he plays in at Tega Cay.

The crowd gave a standing ovation as Lane came to bat. Parents for the other team clapped and cheered as Lane walked up to the plate, adjusted his batting helmet and stared down the pitcher.

Lane, who turned 7 two weeks after he was hurt, dug in with his still-recovering legs and bruised body underneath his No. 3 jersey. A coach threw a pitch, and Lane smashed a line drive right over third base. (page 24)

(Continued from page 22)


“It just kept going; it rolled all the way to the fence,” Lane said. “It seemed like it just wouldn’t stop.”

Lane rounded first base and headed for second. The ball was out there in the outfield and Lane roared past second like a freight train through a tunnel.

The crowd screamed: “Run!”“The crowd,” Chuck said, “well, I can’t explain, it was

so loud and the whole place was cheering and screaming and on its feet – it was like no noise you ever heard.”

The third-base coach saw the ball coming in from the outfield, and he windmilled Lane home – yelling to Lane to run all the way.

“He ran like the wind,” Chuck said of his son. “He ran

so fast.”The throw came in from the

outfield, the ball racing toward home plate just as Lane hurtled toward home plate with those burned legs.

But not in time. Lane – just weeks after being pinned under a truck tire

and not breathing and dying, really – had hit a home run in his first game back.

It was the first home run of his life.There was not a dry eye among the adults at the field. The whole crowd – parents and families and strangers –

were just crying and clapping and cheering and hugging each other all at the same time.

Lane stood there at home plate and was mobbed by his teammates.

He looked up to find his dad, and saw him crying. Chuck’s mind flashed back to his son under the truck tire.

Chuck cheered louder than anybody.

“Lane!” he screamed.Lane and his dad are preparing

for the peewee baseball banquet today, Father’s Day.

Lane last week said the same thing he thought that day that he hit a home run and looked into the crowd to find his daddy – the dad who saved his life – cheering for that home run:“I sure got the

best dad.”

Editor’s Note: This article, and photos, were reprinted with permission, from “The Herald” (www.heraldonline.com)


This year the South Carolina Troopers Association awarded $5,000 in scholarships to deserving individuals. Scholarships are available to SCTA members in good standing, as well as their dependents. Congratulations to the following recipients, and best of luck to all of them in their scholastic endeavors!

Be sure to check the website in January 2013, www.sctroopers.org for the 2013 Scholarship Application.

2012 Recipients

SCTA Awards $5,000 in Scholarships

Christy C. Collins, daughter of CPL & Mrs. Roger A. Collins (RET), is majoring in Health Science at Piedmont Technical College. She plans to transfer to Lander University in 2013 to complete her nursing clinical studies.

Kathryn T. Garren, daughter of L/CPL & Mrs. Steven C. Garren, is a rising freshman at Wofford College. She is majoring in Biology and Pre-Medicine, and hopes to attend MUSC upon graduation from Wofford.

Jacob O. Reome, son of CPL & Mrs. O. Rod Reome (RET), is a rising freshman at Clemons University. He is majoring in Wildlife & Fisheries Biology, and plans to pursue a Master of Science degree in Wildlife & Fisheries Biology.

Alexandria F. Simmons, daughter of CPL & Mrs. J. Mark Simmons, is a Junior at Anderson University pursuing a double major in Elementary Education and Early Childhood Education.

Melinda Q. Taylor, wife of Colonel Leroy Taylor, is pursuing a Jurist Doctor at the Charlotte School of Law, Charlotte, NC.


By now most of our NTC members have heard about the Internal Revenue Service’s announcement that it will postpone the issuance of final regulations regarding the proposed qualification rules for public employee pensions under ERISA until at least January 1, 2015. If you recall, as far back as 2007, an all out effort by the NTC and other national organizations including NAPO and NCPERS was undertaken to prevent the IRS from expanding ERISA regulations to public employee pensions. In fact, the regulations as proposed would have made public pensions that contained defined years of service as the final determination for full retirement benefits “unqualified” under the IRS regulations and therefore subject to regular taxes, the same as savings accounts. Alternatively, the IRS deemed public safety pensions withminimum age requirements of 50 to 55 (Normal Age Requirements) as the only “qualification” for ERISA recognition.

Although the battle is not completely won, I am pleased to report some movement towards our position that public safety pension plans are different by their very nature considering the physically demanding and inherently dangerous activities our police and fire personnel undertake throughout their careers which invariably justifies years of service qualifications as opposed to Normal AgeRequirements. This past week the IRS issued Notice 2012-29 which postponed the implementation of Normal Age Requirements to public pension plans.

As previously detailed, the 2007 IRS Notice defined a pension plan as an entity established and maintained primarily to provide systematically for the payment of definitely determinable benefits over a period of years, usually for life, after retirement. There are two exceptions to this general IRS protocol:

First, a pension plan may pay out benefits if the employee reaches Normal Retirement Age even if he continues to stay on the job.

Second, a pension plan can pay out benefits to an employee after he reaches age 62 regardless of any Normal Retirement Age even if he continues to stay on the job.

The 2007 IRS Notice defined Normal Retirement Age for public safety employees to be age 50 or above. This created a ground swell of comments from all facets of public retirement systems across the country

decrying that the arbitrary age determination by the IRS ran counter to a vast majority of retirement plans involving police andfire employees who’d established minimum years of service as vesting requirements. It is no secret that New York State Comptroller Tom Dinapoli teamed up with our cause and displayed to the Treasury Department that public safety plans are undeniably different and deserve to be treated so under the new provisions. More than once, he went to Washington, DC, to extol the unique features of police and fire plans based on years of service. Well, it appears that his efforts and ours made some impact. Ergo, it appears the “comments” were duly considered and affected the subsequent issuance of the 2012 Notice.

It appears that the IRS is reconsidering the mandated Normal Retirement Age provisions for public safety employees by taking a page or two out of the

Delaware and New York pension playbook. More specifically, public safety employees’ retirement plans that are solely scoped out for that class of employee is excluded from the age 50 requirements according to the 2012 Notice. Put another way, states that have separate police and fire retirement systems do not fall under the minimum age requirements. It appears that scoped out plans are considered

“safe harbor” plans and thus, immune from the age 50 minimum. This is only a partial victory since many state plans contain an amalgamation of employees in the same plan which offers no respite to the age 50 provision for public safety employees. But all is not lost. The IRS Notice goes on to state that it is considering carving out all public safety retirement plans with defined years of service between 20 - 30 years as a specific exception under the new regulations and thus, it is seeking comment on the proposal until July 1, 2012. I will formulate a general Letter of Support for our NTC members to send into the IRS.

Finally, I would like to send out kudos to Jim Gaffigan-New Jersey NCO’s, Tom Mungeer and Dan Sisto-New York State Troopers PBA, Thomas Brackin-Delaware State Troopers Association, Mat Hodapp-Minnesota State Troopers Association and Dennis Hallion, our Executive Director, for their tireless efforts in leading the charge to stop this atrocious legislation. Even though we do not claim a complete victory, the tide is changing our way. Stay tuned. ▲▲▲

NTC Statement on IRS Notice 2012-29 and the Normal Age Requirement to

Public Pension PlansAtty Richard E. Mulvaney

General Counsel-NYSTPBA


A Trainer’s Bold Action Turns Disaster Into Heroic Rescue

Regardless of the comfort level, always carry a knife, a gun, and a flashlight — three things I never leave home without, and two of them came in very handy that day

By Charles Remsberg, PoliceOne Senior Correspondent Sponsored by Blauer

Three kids trapped in a wheels-up car rapidly filling with water in an icy mountain river...

A frantic father stymied by the forces of nature from rescuing them...

Time fast running out...And then the chance appearance

of a police trainer who, in a test of himself and his sidearm, saved the day with unconventional thinking.

Ready for the Unexpected The elements of that dramatic scenario converged after a sedan carrying a ski party spun out of control on a snowy canyon road east of Logan, Utah. The trainer — Chris Willden

— had expected nothing more that day than completing a mundane errand, replacing a busted TV set.

His reaction when suddenly confronted with a life-or-death emergency exemplifies two fundamentals of professionalism: Be prepared for the unexpected, and when the odds are stacked against you improvise, adapt, and overcome.

An ex-cop, 35-year-old Willden now operates the Strategic Tactical Group, a training facility in Bountiful, Utah, that specializes in honing the firearms skills of current and former military and law enforcement personnel. For nearly six years, he served on PDs in the Salt Lake City area, working bike patrol, SWAT, and gang crimes, among other assignments. Before that, during nearly nine years with the Air Force Security Police, he logged time on a sniper team and as part of the protective unit for President Clinton aboard Air Force One.

Just after noon last New Year’s Eve day, Willden, his father Bruce (a former reserve officer and firearms

instructor for Utah POST), and Chris’s 12-year-old son Derek were in a Dodge pickup heading to Logan on mountainous US 89 from a family cabin on Bear Lake about 40 miles northeast of the city. “Our television conked out the night before and we were going down to Walmart to buy a new one,” Willden told PoliceOne.

Driving in the opposite direction on the steep, twisting, two-lane route in a Honda Accord were Roger Anderson, 46, his two children, four-year-old Baylor and nine-year-old Miya, and

Miya’s girlfriend Kenya, also nine years old. They were heading up to the Beaver Mountain ski resort.

Their lives intersected in narrow Logan Canyon about 15 miles east of town, at a treacherous bridge across the turbulent Logan River.

“We came around a curve and saw an SUV skewed on the bridge,” Willden says.

“The snow plows hadn’t been through yet after the latest storm and the driver must have hit a slick spot and skidded.”

Behind the wheel of the pickup, Willden’s dad slowed down. “Two women ran toward us from the mini-van yelling something about kids,” Willden says. Then he saw the real problem.

Down about a 10-foot bank from the highway, a Honda Accord lay upside-down in the Logan River. Later Willden would learn that just moments earlier the driver, Roger Anderson, who’d been following behind the SUV, had hit his brakes

when the van skidded and had himself spun out on a patch of ice. No guardrail, boulders, or trees were there to stop him, and the car veered off the pavement and rolled down the embankment into the river, landing on its top.

Now the women rushing to the pickup made clearer their alarming cries: Children were trapped inside the stricken car.

Quick Thinking, Rapid Action Willden was out of the truck before it came to a complete stop. Shucking

his coat and tossing his wallet, he lunged through snow and brush down the embankment and leaped into the river.

“It was 14 degrees out and all I could think was, Oh, this is gonna be so cold!” Willden remembers.

A man Willden later knew as Anderson was clawing at the car in waist-deep water. “My kids, my kids!” he screamed. Stumbling over the rocky riverbed, Willden forced his way toward him through the numbing, powerful current.

Anderson had escaped the car through a shattered driver’s window but then the strong current had shifted the vehicle enough that that opening was no longer accessible. The youngsters, restrained by seat belts and a car seat, were inside, with the water rapidly filling the passenger compartment.

The force of the water kept Willden from opening doors and except for the inaccessible driver’s window all the glass was intact. He wasn’t able to generate enough power to kick out a window under water. He even climbed onto the up-facing chassis in search of an opening there, in vain.

Be prepared for the unexpected, and when the odds are stacked

against you improvise, adapt, and overcome.


“I had tunnel vision, completely focused on the car,” Willden says. “I was determined to get the kids out, but I didn’t know how, and I was afraid they’d be dead by the time I got to them. Time is life, and time was running out.”

Willden decided his only option was to roll the dice in a desperate gamble.

Whenever he goes into the outer world, Willden habitually carries a sidearm in a leather holster on his right hip. The pistol he had with him that day was a Glock 23. Like most of his body, it was underwater that that moment, but Willden drew it and pressed the muzzle against a corner of the rear passenger window. With the barrel angled down toward the roof of the car resting on the riverbed, he squeezed off a single round.

“I knew the bullet would lose velocity very quickly in the water,” he says. “I just prayed it would break the glass.” It did.

Without pausing to rake the frame, Willden holstered and reached both arms into the vehicle, “feeling around for arms, legs, clothing, hair — anything I could grab that might be people. All I got was handfuls of cold water.”

By now, other vehicles had stopped on the highway and half a dozen men were coming down the embankment into the river, including Willden’s dad. “Someone yelled,

‘We’re gonna flip the car!’,” Willden recalls. “We all got on one side and started lifting.”

Soon the vehicle raised enough that Willden could see a dazed-looking young girl (Kenya) seat-belted in the backseat. “Luckily, she’d been in an air pocket in the car and was still conscious,” he says. He pulled a Columbia River folding knife from his pocket, one of two blades he invariably carries, and cut her free. He pulled her from the car by her shirt and handed her off to another of the rescuers.

Willden then spotted another girl (Miya) “floating face-down in the front seat.” She apparently had been able to release her own seat belt but had been unable to escape further. Willden’s father pulled her out, “but she did not appear to be breathing. She was as grey and blue as can be and as limp as a doll.”

Finally, floating on the rear driver’s side, they found a little boy (Baylor), strapped in a car seat. “I saw that his eyes were open and I thought, Yes!” Willden says. “Then I realized eyes were rolled back in his head and only the whites were showing.”

Willden cut him free with the same knife and the boy, unconscious, was passed with the girls up the embankment to a crowd gathered on the highway. Among those waiting was a physician who’d happened on the scene en route to

the ski slopes.A Sheepdog in Training By the time Willden — numb, sopping wet, arms bleeding

from glass cuts — dragged himself out of the water and up the bank, he felt nearly in a semiconscious state of his own.

“I remember a group working on the kids,” he says, “but I can’t tell you if they were men, women, dogs, or aliens.”

His son, meantime, had been thinking ahead. Willden calls him “a sheepdog in training.” He had a blanket ready for Willden to wrap in as soon as he stripped off his wet clothes and he’d turned the pickup truck’s heater up to maximum to create a warm cocoon as a refuge. “I had absolutely no feeling in my feet,” Willden says. But he and his father soon dried off and thawed out with no permanent damage.

The kids from the car survived, too. Miya and Baylor, the most endangered, were resuscitated at the scene, and all were taken to Logan by ambulance, then air-lifted to a hospital in Salt Lake City. They suffered hypothermia but recovered to good health. Willden’s heroic actions were credited for their happy outcome.

Teaching Points Willden offers the following teaching points:

“Regardless of the comfort level, always carry a knife, 1. a gun, and a flashlight. These are three things I never leave home without, and two of them came in very handy that day.”

“Keep your first aid and CPR certification up.”2. “Train in the most inopportune, worst weather you can 3. find. If you can accomplish things in crappy weather, it will be so much easier to deal with bad things that happen in good weather.”

“Seat belts are not easy to cut. Even with a razor-sharp 4. blade, I had to saw through Kenya’s. I now carry a seat belt cutter and a glass breaker in my car.”

“I know the Glock people won’t advocate it, but I always 5. wondered if my pistol would shoot underwater, so I tried it about five years ago. Standing in that river, I had full faith that the gun would do what I needed it to do.”

Fellow-trainer John Farnam of Defense Training International adds this observation:

“There were several other well-meaning citizens present, who bravely endured the freezing waters that day. But only Chris was truly prepared. He had the necessary tools at hand and the boldness to unhesitatingly take unilateral, dicey, audacious action, not waiting around for ‘someone else’ to ‘do something.’

“Through preparation and boldness, he snatched victory from the jaws of disaster.” ▲▲

About the authorCharles Remsberg co-founded the original Street Survival Seminar and the Street Survival Newsline, authored three of the best-selling law

enforcement training textbooks, and helped produce numerous award-winning training videos. His nearly three decades of work earned him the prestigious O.W. Wilson Award for outstanding contributions to law enforcement and the American Police Hall of Fame Honor Award for distinguished achievement in public service.

Pre-order Charles Remsberg’s latest book, Blood Lessons, which takes you inside more than 20 unforgettable confrontations where officers’ lives are on the line.


Lt. Colonel Michael R. Oliver, Troop 8-HQ, promoted to Colonel effective 01/02/12.

MAJ Leroy Taylor, Troop 8-HQ promoted to Colonel and assigned to State Transport Police effective 04/02/12.

CPT Marc S. Wright, Troop 4-HQ promoted to Major and assigned to Troop 8-Patrol HQ effective 04/02/12.

LT James C. Filyaw, Troop 7-HQ promoted to Captain and transferred to Troop 6-HQ effective 04/17/12.

LT Kenneth D. Phelps, Troop 1-HQ promoted to Captain and transferred to Troop 4-HQ effective 04/17/12.

LT Russell J. Wilson, Troop 8-Higway Safety SCLEN promoted to Captain effective 05/02/12.

CPL Tony M. Bell, Troop 7, Post A-Allendale/Bamberg/Barnwell/Hampton promoted to Sergeant effective 11/17/11.

CPL John T. Benfield, Troop 4, Post A-Cherokee/Union promoted to Sergeant effective 11/17/11.

CPL Albert R. Walters, Troop 4, Post D-Chesterfield/Lancaster promoted to Sergeant effective 11/17/11.

L/CPL Lavern S. Berry, Troop 2, Post C-Edgefield/McCormick/Saluda promoted to Corporal effective 04/17/12.

L/CPL Frank T. Cherry, Troop 5, Post B-Dillon/Florence/Marion promoted to Corporal effective 04/17/12.

L/CPL Joseph C. Elliott, Troop 1, Post D-Richland promoted to Corporal effective 04/17/12.

L/CPL LaVonda M. Gabe, Troop 6, Post B-Colleton/Dorchester promoted to Corporal effective 11/17/11.

L/CPL David W. Gainey, Troop 5, Post A-Darlington/Marlboro promoted to Corporal effective 11/17/01.

L/CPL Jeffery N. Gaskin, Troop 4, Post D-Chesterfield/Lancaster promoted to Corporal effective 04/17/12.

L/CPL Arthur M. Gordon, Troop 4, Post A-Cherokee/Union promoted to Corporal effective 04/17/12.

L/CPL Michael D. Graham, Troop 1, Post B-Kershaw/Lee promoted to Corporal effective 11/17/11.

L/CPL Brian E. Kyzer, Troop 1, Post C-Lexington promoted to Corporal effective 11/17/11.

L/CPL Earl D. McAbee, Troop 6, Post A-Berkeley/Charleston promoted to Corporal effective 04/17/12.

L/CPL Henry M. Morrell, III, Troop 8, Selection & Training Unit, promoted to Corporal effective 11/17/11.

L/CPL William S. Owens, Troop 5, Post C-Georgetown/Williamsburg promoted to Corporal effective 04/17/12.

L/CPL Bradley J. Shaw, Troop 3, Post D-Spartanburg, promoted to Corporal effective 11/17/11.

L/CPL Shaun A. Sherriff, Troop 1, Selection & Training Unit, promoted to Corporal effective 11/17/11.

L/CPL Darrell E. Smith, Troop 8, SIT Region 1, promoted to Corporal effective 11/17/11.

L/CPL David Smith, Troop 7, Post A-Allendale/Bamberg/Barnwell/Hampton promoted to Corporal effective 04/17/12.

L/CPL Leslie D. Smith, Troop 3, Post D-Spartanburg promoted to Corporal effective 04/17/12.

L/CPL Scott A. Trowell, Troop 7, Post C-Aiken promoted to Corporal effective 11/17/11.

L/CPL Christopher M. Wooten, Troop 6, Post A-Berkeley/Charleston promoted to Corporal effective 04/17/12.

S/TPR Shawn C. Bethea, Troop 1, Post D-Richland promoted to Lance Corporal effective 02/02/12.

S/TPR Christopher D. Brigham, Troop 5, DUI Team promoted to Lance Corporal effective 04/02/12.

S/TPR Ricky L Church, Troop 1, Post D-Richland promoted to Lance Corporal effective 11/02/11.

S/TPR Kenneth W. Collins, Troop 3, Post D-Spartanburg promoted to Lance Corporal effective 04/02/12.

S/TPR Philp R. Gardner, Troop 5, Post A-Darlington/Marlboro promoted to Lance Corporal effective 04/02/12.

S/TPR David D. Hutto, Troop 5, Post B-Dillon/Florence/Marion promoted to Lance Corporal effective 04/02/12.

S/TPR Laura L. Hydrick, Troop 6, Post B-Colleton/Dorchester promoted to Lance Corporal effective 04/02/12.

T R O O P E R S O N T H E M O V EPROMOTIONS


S/TPR Calvin D. Jackson, Troop 6, Post A-Berkely/Charleston promoted to Lance Corporal effective 03/02/12.

S/TPR Corey W. Mason, Troop 3, Post D-Spartanburg promoted to Lance Corporal effective 04/02/12.

S/TPR Gregory R. McCrackin, Troop 5, Post D-Horry promoted to Lance Corporal effective 04/02/12.

S/TPR John D. McGaha, Troop 5, Post D-Horry promoted to Lance Corporal effective 04/02/12.

S/TPR Franklin J. Melendez, Troop 1, Post A-Sumter promoted to Lance Corporal effective 04/17/12.

S/TPR John M. Murdock, Troop 2, Post B-Abbeville/Greenwood promoted to Lance Corporal effective 04/02/12.

S/TPR Timothy M. Pittinger Troop 4, Post A-Cherokee/Union promoted to Lance Corporal effective 04/02/12.

S/TPR Leon C. Porter, Troop 7, Post B-Orangeburg/Calhoun promoted to Lance Corporal effective 04/17/12.

S/TPR Michael J. Quinn, Troop 3, Post D-Spartanburg promoted to Lance Corporal effective 04/02/12.

S/TPR David P. Robertson, Troop 3, Post C-Greenville promoted to Lance Corporal effective 04/02/12.

S/TPR Solomon B. Turner, Troop 7, Post C-Aiken promoted to Lance Corporal effective 02/17/12.

S/TPR Larry K. Walker, Troop 4, Post A-Cherokee/Union promoted to Lance Corporal effective 04/02/12.

S/TPR Donald R. Weatherwalks, Troop 5, Post D-Horry promoted to Lance Corporal effective 11/02/11.

TFC Larry E. Bowers, Troop 1, Post A-Sumter/Clarendon promoted to Lance Corporal effective 10/02/11.

TFC Kristopher K. Bratcher, Troop 3, Post A-Anderson promoted to Lance Corporal effective 10/02/11.

TFC Matthew T. Dwyer, Troop 5, Post D-Horry promoted to Lance Corporal effective 10/02/11.

TFC Jody L. Hoffer, Troop 2, Post A-Laurens/Newberry promoted to Senior Trooper effective 03/17/12.

TFC Gerald N. Hoffman, Troop 7, Post A-Allendale/Bamberg, Barnwell/Hampton promoted to Lance Corporal effective 10/02/11.

TFC Benji W. Humphries, Troop 2, Post A-Laurens/Newberry promoted to Lance Corporal effective 10/02/11.

TFC Jeffrey T. Motes, Troop 3, Post C-Greenville promoted to Lance Corporal effective 10/02/11.

TFC Troy E. Simpson, Troop 4, Post B-York promoted to Senior Trooper effective 04/17/12.

TFC Dequawn R. Smith, Troop 7, Post C-Aiken promoted to Senior Trooper effective 10/02/11.

TFC Jason G. Snider, Troop 1, Post C-Lexington promoted to Senior Trooper effective 11/17/11.

TFC Jason T. Toler, Troop 4, Post D-Chesterfield/Lancaster promoted to Lance Corporal effective 10/02/11.

CPL James F. Brown, Troop 2 transferred to Post B-Abbeville/Greenwood effective 11/17/11.

L/CPL Jeff L. Fortner, Troop 3, Post D-Spartanburg transferred to Troop 7, Post C-Aiken effective 12/17/11.

L/CPL Jeffrey L. Martin, Troop 4 transferred within from Post B-York to Post A-Cherokee/Union effective 04/17/12.

L/CPL William T. McKinney, Troop 3, Post D-Spartanburg, transferred to Troop 4, Post A-Cherokee/Union effective 12/17/11.

L/CPL Bradly A. Suggs, Troop 5, Post B-Florence/ Dillon/Marion, transferred to Post D-Horry effective 01/7/12.

TFC Bradley J. Webb, Troop 3, Post D-Spartanburg, transferred to Troop 4, Post A-Chereokee/Union effective 03/17/12.

LT (temp) Russell W. Stewart has been reappointed to Troop 8 Insurance Enforcement effective 04/17/12.

L/CPL (temp) Phillip W. Gulley has been reappointed to Troop 8 Insurance Enforcement effective 03/02/12.

L/CPL (temp) Bryan K. Parker has been reappointed to Troop 8 Insurance Enforcement effective 03/02/12.

TCO Aaron R. Canzater, Troop 8-Blythewood TCC appointed effective 04/02/12.

TCO Maria L. Gibson, Troop 8-Greenville TCC appointed effective 03/17/12.

(continued on page 31)

T R O O P E R S O N T H E M O V EPROMOTIONS (continued)

TRANSFERS

APPOINTMENTS


COL Fred K. Lancaster, Jr., Troop 8, retired effective 12/28/ll.

MAJ Russell W. Stewart, Troop 8 Headquarters retired 04/01/12.

LT. E. Randall Maffett, Troop 8, MAIT-Foothills Region, retired effective 12/31/11.

LT Eric T. Flower, Troop 6 Headquarters, retired 5/17/12.

LT William N. Wise, III, Troop 6 Headquarters, retired 5/15/12.

F/SGT Steven R. Breland, Troop 8 MAIT, retired 6/2/12.

F/SGT Kevin B. Martin, Troop 6, Post B-Colleton/Dorchester, retired 6/1/12.

SGT Ernest H. Lilienthal, Jr., Troop 6 Headquarters, retired 5/11/12.

CPL Timothy S. Craven, Troop 6, Post A-Berkeley/Charleston retired effective 02/24/12.

CPL Rudolph Osteen, Troop 1, Post D-Richland retired effective 09/30/11.

CPL Jack F. Ross, Troop 5, Post B-Dillon/Florence/Marion retired effective 09/30/11.

CPL Carroll J. Welch, Troop 1, Post A-Sumter retired effective 04/20/12.

L/CPL Madison L. Anderson, Troop 8 SIT Team, retired effective 06/01/12.

L/CPL Solomon B. Turner, Troop 7, Post C-Aiken, resigned 5/8/12.

L/CPL Robert M. Austin, Troop 8, SIT Region III, resigned effective 02/15/12.

L/CPL Gregory B. Brown, Troop 5, Post D-Horry retired effective 10/05/11.

L/CPL Bradford L. Buie, Troop 5, Post B-Dillon/Florence/Marion resigned effective2/14/12.

L/CPL Richard V. Burgess, Troop 8 ACE-Motor retired effective 04/05/12.

L/CPL Richard S. Chasteen, Troop 8, ACE Team-Upstate, retired effective 01/06/12.

L/CPL Tamala N. Coon, Troop 1, Post C-Lexington, resigned effective 02/02/12.

L/CPL Matthew T. Dwyer, Troop 5, Post D-Horry resigned effective 04/30/12.

L/CPL Michael L. Gregory, Troop 8, ACE-Motor, resigned effective 01/13/12.

L/CPL Travis T. Haynes, Troop 8, ACE-Motor, resigned effective 03/21/12.

L/CPL Bryan K. Parker (temp), Troop 8, Insurance Enforcement resigned effective 09/29/11.

L/CPL Carey P. Roberts, Troop 3, Post C-Greenville resigned effective 03/11/12.

L/CPL Jordan N. Sinclair, Troop 2, Post A-Laurens/Newberry resigned effective 11/7/11.

L/CPL James R. Stewart, Jr., Troop 1, Post C-Lexington retired effective 10/28/11.

L/CPL Tommy K, Teaster Jr., Troop 8, SIT Team resigned effective 09/21/11.TYS/TPR Jonathan R. Brock, Troop 1, Post D-Richland resigned effective 01/08/12.

S/TPR William C. Fawcett, Troop 6, Post A-Berkeley/Charleston resigned effective 09/30/11.

S/TPR Robert K. Owens, Troop 3, Post D-Spartanburg, resigned effective 01/14/12.

S/TPR James L. Stokes, Troop 1, Post C-Lexington, resigned effective 01/06/12.

S/TPR Franklin D. Wooten, Troop 3, Post A-Anderson, resigned effective 01/04/12.

TPR Dustin C. Clevenger, Troop 3, Post C-Greenville, resigned effective 10/22/11.

TPR Daniel W. Pickard, Troop 4, Post B-York resigned effective 09/21/11.

TCC Manager Barbara B. Garrett, Troop 8, Florence TCC, retired effective 02/24/12.

Asst. TCS Linda G. Durham, Troop 8, Charleston TCC, resigned effective 12/31/11.

TCO Kelly A. Curran, Troop 8, Florence TCC, resigned effective 10/09/11.

TCO Carrie L. Griffin, Troop 8, Greenwood TCC, resigned effective 11/16/11.

TCO Tonya E. Williams, Troop 8, Florence TCC resigned effective 10/31/11.▲▲▲

SEPARATIONS

Have you checked out the SCTA online?

While there, you can do all of the following, without ever having to leave

the comfort of your home or office: update your address;•change the beneficiary for your •SCTA Life Insurance policy; update and pay for your annual •membership;browse the online store•

Check us out:www.sctroopers.org


The long-awaited SCTA License Plate is now available to SCTA Members in good standing. While there

is no special fee for the specialized license plate, other than the regular registration fee, you must present a

Letter of Authorization from the SCTA. For more information, please call the SCTA Office at (800) 633-2236,

or email [email protected].

A special thanks to the following individuals and businesses who made this license plate possible:

SCTA License Plate Now Available

Charles Homer Rose III *David B. Wardlaw, Sr. (deceased)

Henry C. Harrison Gores’ Tire Service Robert Gore Dillon Body Shop Cooper Undertaking Co., Inc.

Harold R.Elvington Mitchells Laundromat The Wash HouseMarvin R.Watson S. C. Reighley Gene Cooley Fred Kelly James W inkler Charles Oxner Randy & Ann Stephenson

Harold Perry A. A. Talley Dirk Bron Mike Wood Charles Steele

Blyth Funeral Home Cromley’s Inc. Doug Mayer David Brewer Gentry’s Poultry Co., Inc.

David Johns Elizabeth Clark Terry Ledford Billy FosterDonald W . Crosby Sam Ezell Jerry Bedenbaugh Edgar H. Batchelle Jr., M.D.

Harry B. Huggins Larry Shaw Alvin Hampton Lemar Cockrell Mickey Brooks James E. Kimbrell Don ReynoldsGuy Hamilton


Kendall Millhouse, grandson of T.U. Millhouse and the late Emily Millhouse, is all smiles as he graduates from Clemson University. Kendall is a former SCTA Scholarship Recipient. Go, Tigers!

News Briefs

Congratulations to new grandmother Bunnie Harris (RET) and new uncle Keith O’Quinn, as they welcome the newest

Gamecock Fan: William Bryce, son of Jennifer and Shannon McKellar. William was born February 26, 2012.

Congratulations to TRP & Mrs. Edward Clark (Troop 3), on the birth of their son, Rutledge Edwin, who was born on Febuerary 8, 2012. Rutledge was 5 lbs., 15 oz. and was 19

inches long. He joins older brother Kyle Clark.

T.U. Millhouse (RET) celebrates his Aunt Edna’s 100th birthday.


To order any of the pictured merchandise, or to see more merchandise available at the SCTA Store, visit us at www.store.sctroopers.org.

If you have specific questions about colors, sizes, etc., send an e-mail to [email protected] or call us toll-free at (800) 633-2236, ext. 13. The store is open Tuesday-Friday and is closed on Mondays. On-line shopping is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

A handling fee of $3 will be added to all mail orders, in addition to shipping charges. All packages are shipped via USPS First Class mail, unless other arrangements are made with the SCTA Store.

Now through July 30, enter the code “MAG READER” when you make an on-line purchase and save an additional 10% off any purchase over $40. This offer is only valid on-line.

S.C.H.P. at tHe

Be sure to visit www.store.sctroopers.org

LED Flashlight

2012 Statute Guide

SCHP Wing Shaving Kit Bag

SCHP Ladies Sleep Shirt


SCTA Multi-Purpose Tool Lil’ Trooper Hooded Baby Towels

MerchandisescTa sTOre!us online www.store.sctroopers.org

South Carolina’s Finest Afghan


South Carolina Troopers Association4961 Broad River RoadColumbia, SC 29212www.sctroopers.org

NON-PROFIT ORGUS POSTAGE

P-A-I-DColumbia, SC

PERMIIT #487

It’s never to soon to stock up for the holidays!

Go to www.store.sctroopers.org to check out new merchandise, specials, and much more!

Show your SCHP Pride! New license plate now available through SCDMV-

see page 32 for details

south carolina trooper

Documents

scta awards

scta office

scta welcomes schp basic

troop events

ashley troop

publication possible

broad river road

high quality publication