EDGEFIELD COUNTY, S.C. — A funeral has been arranged for a South Carolina police officer, and Marine veteran, who was killed while on duty Friday.
Cpl. James Eric Chapman, 30, died from injuries suffered in a single-vehicle wreck Dec. 8 when he was responding to a call for the Johnston Police Department.
Services for Cpl. Eric Chapman of Johnston Police Department:
Visitation – Tuesday at Ramey Funeral Home 6-8 pm.
Funeral services – Wednesday 11 am Saluda Church of God.Cpl. Chapman died in a single vehicle accident while responding to a call in the line of duty. @BlueAlertUs pic.twitter.com/DmsEm2o23s
— Solicitor11thCircuit (@Solicitor_11th) December 11, 2017
Chapman’s funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Dec. 13 at Saluda Baptist Church, according to the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department, updating the venue from what had been listed in Chapman’s obituary. He will be buried in Ridge Spring Cemetery.
Chapman is survived by his wife, Tonya, and a daughter.
“Godspeed Brother we will take the watch from here,” a post on the Edgefield County Law Officers Association’s Facebook page said.
The incident occurred around 10:15 p.m. Friday, according to Edgefield County Coroner Thurmond Burnett.
The South Carolina Highway Patrol said Chapman was driving on Columbia Road when he went off the shoulder, hit some trees and was thrown out of his vehicle. He was taken to a hospital in Augusta, where he died less than two hours later.
“I never thought I would experience this.” Chief Lamaz Robinson said to wrdw.com, “I never guessed in a moment’s time that I would have to bury one of my officers.”
The incident is under investigation by the South Carolina Highway Patrol.
There is no word if Chapman was wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash, according to multiple reports.
Chapman was a 2006 graduate of Saluda High School and was a Corporal in the U.S. Marine Corps and was deployed in Afghanistan, according to his obituary. He served in the Marines from 2010-14.
Law enforcement agencies and individuals across South Carolina, and beyond, have gone on to social media to share their condolences.
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(c)2017 The State (Columbia, S.C.) — www.thestate.com
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