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A South Carolina law enforcement officer was killed in the line of duty Wednesday when he was involved in a crash, according to the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office.
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The death of Deputy Michael Hendricks, 33, was mourned by the sheriff’s office, as well as law enforcement agencies across South Carolina.
Hendricks was involved in a two-vehicle collision, according to Cpl. Nick Pye of the South Carolina Highway Patrol. The wreck happened at about 11:45 a.m., Pye said Thursday.
Hendricks was driving a 2018 Ford pickup truck — which was registered to the sheriff’s office — west on Ladson Road, according to Pye. Near the intersection with Industrial Center Drive the pickup collided with a 2023 Volvo tractor trailer that was driving east on Ladson Road, Pye said.
Hendricks died, while the tractor trailer driver was hurt and taken to an area hospital, according to Pye. Further information on the tractor trailer driver’s condition was not available.
No other injuries were reported.
There was no word if either of the drivers were wearing seatbelts, or what caused the wreck, which continues to be investigated by the Highway Patrol.
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Hendricks was a 3-year veteran of the sheriff’s office, recently serving in the Metro Unit, officials said.
“This news has deeply affected all of us. Deputy Hendricks was known for showing up every day ready to serve and ready to help others — that commitment didn’t stop when he went home,” the sheriff’s office said in a post shared on social media. “We are grieving alongside his family, friends, and coworkers, and ask our community to keep them in their thoughts.”
Through Monday, at least 603 people had died on South Carolina roads in 2026, according to the state Department of Public Safety. A minimum of 914 people were killed in collisions in South Carolina in 2025, DPS data shows.
At least 38 people have died in Charleston County crashes this year, and 64 people died in wrecks there in 2025, according to DPS data.
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