Chesterfield County mourns deputy killed in crash

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.

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.