Trooper injured in wreck

Lance Cpl. R.M. Falls with South Carolina Highway Patrol’s Troop A that covers Clarendon and Sumter counties was involved in a line-of-duty collision early Thursday morning. Falls was responding to a call to assist the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office at the time of the collision, according to SCHP Sgt. Bryan McDougald.

Falls, a 21-year veteran of the SCHP, is hospitalized in stable condition.

“The South Carolina Highway Patrol is very concerned about Lance Cpl. Falls and we are keeping him and his family in our prayers,” said Col. Mike Oliver in a press release. “We are a family and when one of our own is injured, it impacts us all.”

SCDPS Director Leroy Smith added in the release, “The SCDPS Team is thinking of the Falls’ family at this time. We will be here to support this family throughout his period of recovery.

The Sumter County Sheriff’s Office is investigating.