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South Carolina Department of Public Safety

SCDPS Holds Annual Memorial Service For 2018 Highway Fatality Victims

Wed, 05/01/2019

Please see the South Carolina Department of Public Safety's Facebook page for photos.

Memorial_service_2018 .

COLUMBIA – The South Carolina Department of Public Safety (SCDPS) held its annual Highway Fatality Memorial Service on Saturday, April 27, to remember those killed in 2018 traffic collisions on South Carolina roadways.

The Memorial Service, which has taken place annually since 1988, was held at Trinity Baptist Church in Cayce, SC, and drew hundreds of family members and friends of those killed on South Carolina roadways in 2018. People from across South Carolina, as well as other states – including some as far away as Ohio and Florida – attended the ceremony.

In 2018, 1,038 motorists lost their lives on South Carolina roadways.

Senior Pastor Dr. Eddie Coakley, of Trinity Baptist Church-Cayce, delivered the “Message of Hope.” SCDPS Director Leroy Smith also offered words of comfort and condolence to the families. Music was provided by the Grace Christian School Choir of Cayce. Assistance with the service was provided by the staff of Trinity Baptist Church-Cayce and the Cayce Department of Public Safety.

“Every year, this ceremony stands as a sheer reminder of the pain that highway fatalities causes for the grieving families who have lost loved ones on our state’s roadways,” said SCDPS Director Leroy Smith. “Our law enforcement officers and first responders must remain vigilant and continue to focus on our duty mission for Target Zero highway deaths.”

The SCDPS Office of Highway Safety and Justice Programs (OHSJP) coordinates the service, which includes participation from SCDPS law enforcement divisions, first responders, and public safety agencies from across the state.

Photos from the service will be available on the SCDPS Facebook and Flickr pages. A full video of the service will be posted to the agency’s YouTube page.

South Carolina Department of Public Safety includes the Highway Patrol, State Transport Police, Bureau of Protective Services, Office of Highway Safety and Justice Programs, Immigration Enforcement Unit and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Officers Hall of Fame. Our mission is to ensure public safety by protecting and serving the people of South Carolina and its visitors.