Chesterfield County mourns deputy killed in crash
Alternative content
Chesterfield Deputy Reaction
Chesterfield Deputy Reaction
Ben Greene/WBTW
A blue and white ribbon is tied to the side of the Chesterfield County Sheriff’s Office after Sgt. Darryl Quick died in a head-on collision Wednesday night just north of McBee. He was off duty at the time of the crash.
and Jamie Rogers
Published: July 23, 2008
Updated: July 24, 2008
CHESTERFIELD — A small wreath hanging on a door at the Chesterfield County Sheriff’s Office is a silent reminder that the agency has one less deputy after a fatal crash near McBee on Wednesday night.
Chesterfield County Sheriff’s Sgt. Darryl Quick, 42, of Cheraw was off duty when he was killed instantly after the 2000 Cadillac he was driving collided head-on with a vehicle traveling in the opposite direction, according to S.C. Highway Patrol reports.
SEND YOUR CONDOLENCES
Veteran Chesterfield County law enforcement officer Sgt. Darryl Quick died in a car crash Wednesday evening on U.S. 1 north of McBee. Click here to send your condolences.
The day after the crash, Chesterfield County Sheriff Sam Parker sat in his office and remembered all the things that made Quick special to the force.
“He’s Mr. Happy. He was just a very professional person,” he said. “Mr. GQ if they ever made one. Mr. Neat. Mr. Clean, and we remembered him by that more than anything.”
Quick had been with the department for about nine years, Parker said.
“(He’s) dedicated, loyal, respectable ...” Parker said. “A great guy and, you know, you just can’t get any better. (He’s) one guy that’s dedicated to me, loyal to this department, loyal to the community.”
A feeling of shock and disbelief prevailed among Parker and his deputies as news of the crash spread.
Quick was probably one of the safest drivers in the entire department, Parker said.
“(I) just didn’t believe it. Of course, like all of us, I’ve got to go see myself and then that’s what exactly we did,” he said. “(It’s) heartbreaking to know that someone of his caliber has lost his life ... in a traffic accident.”
Quick was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash as a result of the head trauma, Chesterfield County Coroner Donnie Baker said.
The driver of the other vehicle, 33-year-old Michael Lambert of Patrick was taken to Carolina Pines Regional Medical Center in Hartsville where he was being treated in the Intensive Care Unit at press time Thursday.
Troopers said they suspect alcohol was a factor in the crash. A toxicology test was performed on Lambert but he hasn’t been charged in connection with the crash, S.C. Highway Patrol Lance Cpl. Jeff Gaskins said.
Toxicology testing isn’t complete and charges aren’t necessarily contingent on the results of that test, Gaskins said.
Quick’s body wasn’t sent for an autopsy because the cause of his death was clear, Baker said.
Information, however, was submitted to the State Law Enforcement Division to verify what substances, if any, were present in Quick’s system at the time of the crash.
It is expected to take several weeks before local authorities receive the results from either test.
Troopers are working to reconstruct the crash to ascertain exactly what happened, Gaskins said.
The crash happened at about 6:55 p.m. on U.S. 1 about four miles outside of McBee, according to Highway Patrol reports.
Quick’s funeral is tentatively scheduled for Sunday at First Baptist Church in Cheraw.
Advertisement
Reader Reactions
I am sure the arrest of this man doesnt sit well with a couple of you. Maybe you should contact the FBI and ask for another investigation.
kim dawkins you need to back up sweetie the man that had his legs broke has not been proven he was DRUNK!!! dont go and say this man was the cause of it all. You dont know squat here!! Dont know where u get your info but how do you know that the law officer was the one for this sadness? You state a drunk driver, lady you need back up with all of that, there hasnt been anything said about what happened. It was raining very very hard that night, could have been the weathers fault! So dont you come on here and say The other man was drunk! Even law officers are at fault at times!
I live in Rockingham, NC today I went past your house… I knew that a police man lived there cause I always pass your home going to my mothers home ... I saw all the police men but didn’t realize that you had such a loss… I pulled over and asked one of the SHERRIFFS and he informed me about what had happened I am truly sorry for your loss .. For I have just had a great loss myself my son was also killed by a drunk driver 5 months ago ... I’m hoping that in a few months when you have healed that you as myself will want to fight this system that allows drunk drivers to get back on the road after killing someone ... My sons killer is out of jail and on the road again… INNOCENT TILL PROVEN GUILTY ISN’T THAT A SWEET NOTE .. but you have help you have the LAW BEHIND YOU ... I will be contacting you and the police dept down there because I want the laws changed NO ONE SHOULD EVER BE ABLE TO DRIVE AGAIN AFTER KILLING SOMEONE WHILE DRINKING…. YOU CAN’T HAVE A GUN HAVING KILLING SOMEONE… THERE’S NO DIFFERENCE… I WOULD HAVE STOPPED BY YOUR HOME ON THE WAY BACK FROM FLORENCE BUT it was to late… please know i’m praying for you i’m still fighting my battle and believe me YOU WILL TO… SEVERAL YEARS BEFORE YOU SEE JUSTICE FOR WHAT HAS HAPPENED while you live everyday with out your loved one…(it’s called healing over so you can go thru the death all over again at the trial) sweet justice ... we have to suffer everyday with our loss and know the killer is still here…. just know that I and my family will be praying for you and your family during this time of sorrow and senselessness….
kim dawkins from rockingham nc….
For you folks who are looking for answers contact the Chesterfield County Coroner and please quite making accusations over rumors. You can also get a copy of the accident report from the Department of Public Saftey. One man is dead and one is hurt and inquiring minds want to know so go to it. You have the information to find your answer now are call up the person that wrote the story.
Go back and read your first statement and look at the innuendo’s and that will spell it out for you. Then request an accident report for yourself. The Troopers didnt put this in the paper.
I thought that anytime someone was killed in a car accident with someone else involved that the body went for an autopsy or at least a specimen collected for an alcohol/drugs. Just because you can see physical damage to the body (head injury) doesn’t mean that he couldn’t have had a stroke, heart attack etc that caused the accident. If the officer(or anyone) was known to be a non-drinker it should still not be assumed that this one time he had not drank anything, it should be verified no matter who you are. I also agree that both should be treated the same as far as the investigation, but just because every step is not spelled out completely by the news doesn’t mean that protocol was not followed. Mr.Quick sounds like he was a great person and employee and I am sure someone out there thinks the other person involved is just as great. Why can’t everyone just wait on the FACTS to come out before judging either person and give law enforcement time to do their investigation. God bless both families.
Jabbo
I give up! I make points and you come back with some stupid statement, such as the first one in your last post. You should have read and understood what I have said and then try to respond to what I actually said without whatever biases it is that you have. Have a nice life!
What:
Maybe you should run for Governor,The House or Senate and change the law and procedures to suit you. All I see in the statement that they think alcohol was involved and that could come from smell or somthing in one of the cars. I believe they meaning the patrol have procedures to go by and with everything involved here I hardly see where you see any smoke but you may be correct. I am sure the Patrol did not write the news article so contact the newspaper.
Troopers said they suspect alcohol was a factor in the crash. A toxicology test was performed on Lambert but he hasn’t been charged in connection with the crash, S.C. Highway Patrol Lance Cpl. Jeff Gaskins said.
Toxicology testing isn’t complete and charges aren’t necessarily contingent on the results of that test, Gaskins said
You can read this to mean the test are not complete and they are awaiting the results before they publish anything,so I do not see why you had a problem.
By the way I think the Coroner has charge and control of the deceased body but there again I do not know the law.
Jabbo
I made no accusations and I did not say I didn’t know what I speak of (I did say I do not know either of the people in the accident. I did pose questions. Your lengthy explaination on something that is obvious did not address anything I said. I questioned what information was sent to SLED (in·for·ma·tion (¹n”f…r-m³“sh…n) n. Abbr. inf. 1. Knowledge derived from study, experience, or instruction. 2. Knowledge of a specific event or situation; intelligence). Be tough to run lab test on that. I have no problem with law enforcement. I do question the way an accident with one of their own is usually handled as opposed to other accidents. I do have a problem with a lot of the media and the way things are reported. Maybe that is some of the problem here.
What:
You pose a lot of questions that you should research yourself. Neither of these people were a piece of meat but the deceased needs to be repected and let the truth fall where it may. You make accusations and say you dont know what you speak of. I will tell you what I know. A living person can be given a blood test or breathalyzer. A deceased person has to have their test done according to law and they cannot submit to a breathalyzer. I think they have to submit tissue samples,etc so forth on the deceased and cant do that on the living. It appears you have a problem with some form of law enforcement and that is your business but your bitterness toward the deceased is unforgiveable in my opinion. I feel sorry for them and if the deceased caused the wreck or was on the wrong side of the road the final report will indicate such,you can rest assured of that and I think you can even order a copy from the Public Saftey Department. You can bet the person that lived through this will get the report and be represented and be able to face his accusers,Deputy Quick will not.
Advertisement