CHARLESTON COUNTY, S.C. (WCSC) — The South Carolina Highway Patrol shared new details about a crash that claimed the life of a Charleston County deputy.
Cpl. Nick Pye said the crash happened around 11:45 a.m. on Ladson Road near Industrial Center Drive.
A 2023 Volvo tractor-trailer was headed east on Ladson Road at the same time that a 2018 Ford pickup truck registered to the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office was traveling west on the roadway.
Pye said the two vehicles collided. The driver of the Volvo was taken to the hospital with injuries. The driver of the Ford was fatally injured.
Deputies said Ladson Road from Highway 78 to Lincolnville Road was closed for several hours following the crash.
The South Carolina Highway Patrol shared new details about a crash that claimed the life of a Charleston County deputy.(WCSC)
The Charleston County Sheriff’s Office announced the “unexpected” death of Deputy Michael Hendricks, 33, after the crash Wednesday. Hendricks was reportedly driving the Ford. “This sudden loss is felt across our agency. Please keep his family, friends, and coworkers in your thoughts,” a post to social media said. They confirmed Hendricks was on duty at the time of the crash.
The Charleston County Sheriff’s Office announced the “unexpected” death of Deputy Michael Hendricks, 33, after an on-duty crash Wednesday.(Charleston County Sheriff’s Office)
“Losing a member of our CCSO family so suddenly leaves a hole that is hard to describe. Deputy Michael Hendricks was someone who showed up every day ready to serve, ready to help people, and ready to make a difference. That’s who he was, on duty and off. We are grieving alongside his family, friends, and coworkers, and we ask our community to keep them in their thoughts and prayers. Right now, our focus is supporting the people who loved Deputy Hendricks and taking care of each other,” Charleston County Sheriff Carl Ritchie said in a statement.
Hendricks had worked as a Charleston County deputy since April 2023.
The Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office extended its condolences to the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office for the loss of one of their deputies in the line of duty.
They said Hendricks once served with the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office, making the loss hit especially close to home for the agency.
“The loss of a law enforcement officer never gets easier. Deputy Hendricks once served the citizens of Berkeley County, making this loss especially painful for our agency and community. We are deeply saddened, and we stand beside his loved ones and the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office as they endure this unimaginable grief,” Sheriff S. Duane Lewis said.
The Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office was one of many to express grief on behalf of Charleston County’s deputies on social media Wednesday night and Thursday morning, with many asking the public to pray for Hendricks’ family, “both by blood and in blue.”
The South Carolina Highway Patrol is still investigating the crash.
Copyright 2026 WCSC. All rights reserved.