Officer Down Newberry County, South Carolina police officers who have died in the line of duty.

Police Officer Forrest Krell end of watch: Tuesday, August 22, 1939 age: 43 Cause of death: gunfire on Tuesday, August 22, 1939 Officer Krell was shot and killed in the line of duty.

Police Officer J. D. Livingston end of watch: Tuesday, September 2, 1947 age: 32 tour of duty: 1 yr. cause of death: motorcycle accident Officer Livingston was killed at approximately 9:00 p.m. when he lost control of his motorcycle rounding the curve coming into Glenn Street. The motorcycle jumped the curb and struck a large tree. Officer Livingston was in pursuit of a speeding car when the fatal accident occurred. Officer Livingston was survived by his wife. He was a veteran of World War II and has three brothers who also served in the armed forces.

Deputy Sheriff Lawrence W. Bragg III end of watch: Tuesday, June 6, 1989 cause of death: automobile accident while transporting prisoners.

Newberry Observer - Tuesday, August 22, 1939 Officer Krell Critically Wounded By Negro Forest Krell, city policeman, was critically shot in the abdomen about 8:10 Sunday night by Anderson Moon, negro. The officer was taken to the Newberry County hospital where an operation was performed late Sunday night. City Policeman, Hitt gives the following account of the shooting: "About 8 o'clock we received a call to come to Boundary street. Krell and I answered the call and found that a negro by the name of James Moon had shot his wife in the foot. Anderson Moon, the boy's father, told us that James had gone. A negro girl then told us that he was drunk and was at a house abut 300 years down the street. "We rode on down west Boundary street and saw the negro on the porch. Krell took the negro to the car while I entered the house to look for the gun. I couldn't find the gun with which the negro had shot his wife and went back to the car. "Mr. Krell then entered the house to look for the gun while I held James in the car. I saw Krell enter the house and turn into the room on his left. "At the time I heard a shot and two negroes ran out of the front door and I stopped them and held them. I flagged a car and had the occupants hold all three negroes (James and the two) while I went into the house. As I went up on the porch, Krell staggered to the door and said, 'He shot me'. I said, 'Who shot you?' and he said, 'Anderson Moon.'" Mr. Hitt summoned an ambulance and Krell was taken to the Newberry hospital. The negro escaped and was apprehended later in the night by Ralph Baker, working in connection with the officers. The negro was immediately taken to the state pen in Columbia. He had been an employee of Mr. Baker's. Mr. Krell underwent two blood transfusions Sunday night and a major operation. The bullet entered the left side about the stomach and came out on the right side of the back. (Officer Forest Krells obit)

Newberry Observer - September 1947 J. D. Livingston Dies In Accident Tuesday Night City Patrolman J. D. Livingston, age 32, was killed instantly last Tuesday night, September 2, at approximately 9 p.m. when he lost control of his motorcycle rounding the curve coming into Glenn street, the motorcycle jumping the curb, and hitting a large tree. Local police officials state that Patrolman Livingston, who served as traffic policeman for the town of Newberry, was in pursuit of a speeding car, when the fatal accident occurred.d The pursuit supposedly began at the corner of Adelaide and Glenn streets around 8:45 p.m. going from there down Adelaide and back to McCrary street that leads back into the Mollohon Mill community. From there the chase is said to have led back into Glenn street going past the Mollohon Mill at a terrific speed. Coming back into the residential section at the corner of Benedict street, which is a dirt road, Patrolman Livingston is thought to have hit the sand on the pavement, causing him to lose control of his motorcycle, and making him run across the curb of the street. His motorcycle was thrown against a large tree, fifteen years away and was practically demolished. Livingston was thrown through the limbs of the tree approximately sixty feet away from the motorcycle. A local ambulance was called to the scene but Livingston was pronounced dead upon arrival. As yet the driver of the speeding vehicle has not been apprehended, but officers are still investigating. Patrolman Livingston started his work as an officer with the police force the first of June, 1946. He began the city patrolman job the 1st of January, 1947. He was a veteran of World War II and also has three brothers who served in the armed forces. Livingston had just returned to duty from a week's vacation. Mr. Livingston was born and reared in Newberry and was the son of J. H. and Bertha Summer Livingston. He was a member of the American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars and a member of West End Baptist church. Funeral services were conducted Thursday afternoon from the McSwain Funeral Home by the Rev. H. W. Long, the Rev. V. L. Fulmer and the Rev. J. E. Roof. Interment was in Rosemont cemetery. He is survived by his widow, Mrs. Eula Quattlebaum Livingston, and one son, Danny Steve Livingston, both of Newberry; his father and mother, Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Livingston; six brothers, Earl Livingston, Carl Livingston, Ned Livingston, Allen Livingston and Bobby Livingston, all of Newberry, and James N. Livingston of the U.S. Navy in the Pacific; five sisters, Mrs. Thelma McCarty, Mrs. Mozelle Edwards, Mrs. Ramon Ward, Miss Carolyn Livingston and Miss Sallie Livingston, all of Newberry. Several uncles and aunts, one brother, Alvin E. Livingston, lost his life in the service of his country. Active pallbearers were Cortez Ward, J. H. Long, Pat Mills, John Livingston, Ralph Bannister, Oscar Barre, Jim Perry, Heber Rister and Phil Willis. Honorary pallbearers were members of the Newberry police department, members of city council, Mayor Dave Hayes, Dr. R. E. Livingston, Dr. R. W. Lominack, Dr. H. B. Senn, E. B. Purcell, H. L. Huffman Jr., T. Roy Summer, Bryan Livingston, B. F. Dawkins, J. C. Neel, L. N. Abrams, Dave Caldwell, Z. F. Wright, Fulmer Wells and Irvin Attaway. Flower attendants were Catherine Cook, Helen Rister, ?, Dorothy Gibbons, Eunice Quattlebaum, Clara Singley, Mary Ruth Longshore, Reba Quattlebaum, Mabel Hiller and Elvira Hawkins. McSwain Funeral Home in charge. Newberry Observer, Tuesday September 9, 1947 Gilbert Held in Officer's Death - Inquest Friday Fred Gilbert, Jr., was arrested last Friday, September 5th, on a warrant charging him with murder as a result of the death of J. D. Livingston, city patrolman, who was killed instantly last Tuesday night, pursuing a car, when his motorcycle ran off the road hitting a tree. Officers here state that Gilbert has admitted driving the car that Patrolman Livingston was chasing. In his statement Gilbert admitted that his car was being pursued by the patrolman, but added that he was a least a city block ahead of the patrolman's motorcycle, and had turned off Glenn St., ahead of the policeman and did not know that an accident had occurred. He stated further that he was alone in the car. The warrant, taken out by H. J. Quattlebaum, a brother-on-law of Patrolman Livingston, was served by deputy Sheriff J. C. Neel and Chief of Police Colie L. Dowd. Gilbert was released on a $1,000 bond granted by Judge Steve C. Griffith. The bond was signed by Gilbert's parents. An inquest will be held Friday night, September 12th, at 8 p.m., in the county courthouse. Newberry Observer, September 1947 Inquest Held Friday In Livingston Death - Witnesses Tell of Seeing Race An inquest was held into the death of Patrolman J. D. Livingston Friday night, September 12, in the old court house. Approximately 300 people were there, with many being turned away because of lack of room The first witness that was called to the stand by Solicitor Hugh Beasley was Mrs. Pat Mills. She said that she saw the chase begin with the patrolman in pursuit of the speeding vehicle, and that the car was almost caught by the patrolman. The second witness who was called was Pat Mills, husband of Mrs. Mills, who also saw the chase being. He stated that he was talking with Patrolman Livingston on side of service station when a speeding car came around the curve and almost turned over, and that Livingston cranked up his motorcycle, caught up with the car and passed him. Mr. Mills said that he did not recognize the driver on the return of the speeding automobile coming back past his station, but knew it was a Studebaker car, and that he turned his had when he saw Patrolman Livingston's motorcycle hit the sand and lose control, running over the curb. He stated further that the car was about 80 yards ahead of the motorcycle. Johnnie Banks, who lives at Wehunt's Service Station, stated that he saw the car lights and the shadow of motorcycle turn off Adelaide street into McCrary, leading into the Mollohon district. Dupre Harmon was sitting on his porch on McCrary street and saw a car and patrolman in chase by his home at a very fast speed. Solicitor Beasley next called Jimmie Roland to the witness stand to report what he saw on the night of September 2. Roland said that he was riding his motorcycle and was run off the road on the corner of Montgomery and Glenn streets, and that he recognized the car as a Studebaker and the driver as Fred Gilbert, Jr., and yelled at the driver of the car to slow down. Lewis Stutts of Glenn street at Mollohon, stated that he saw the chase pass his home and come back past, recognizing the car as a Studebaker and driver as Fred Gilbert, Jr. Mayor Dave Hayes was the last witness to be called, stating that Patrolman Livingston was a city patrolman and veteran of World War II. A medical statement from Dr. R. W. Lominack, who examined Patrolman Livingston's body after the accident, was read, stating that Livingston received a crushed chest, head and other bodily injuries, which caused instant death. The jury was out for 30 minutes, reporting that "Patrolman J. D. Livingston came to his death from injuries received from a motorcycle accident while chasing Fred Gilbert, Jr., in performance of his duty." Fred Gilbert, Jr., for whom a warrant for murder was sworn out, signed by H. J. Quattlebaum, brother of Mrs. J. D. Livingston, is being held on bond, pending the action of the grand jury. Newberry Observer, September 1947 Fred Gilbert, Jr. Is Exonerated In Livingston's Death The grand jury, acting Monday afternoon on the warrant charging Fred Gilbert, Jr., with involuntary manslaughter in the death of Traffic Policeman J. D. Livingston, found no bill. At this time no further action has been taken and no further charges have been made against Gilbert.

Newberry Observer, June 7, 1989 Deputy Dies In Wreck A one-year veteran of the Newberry County Sheriff's department died yesterday after the patrol car he was using to transport two prisoners struck the rear of a logging truck. Deputy William Lawrence Bragg, 27, died from hypovolemia, loss of blood, and massive facial trauma, Coroner James O. Smith said this morning. He and Sheriff Lee Foster talked about the accident during a 10 a.m. news conference at the Law Enforcement Complex. The patrol car had been impounded by Newberry County and was not available this morning for pictures. Highway Patrol officers were at the scene, Highway 34 at the entrance to the Champion International company's Silverstreet plywood plant. Funeral services will be held on Thursday, 3 p.m. at First Baptist Church in Whitmire. Burial will be in the Whitmire Cemetery. Foster said today that deputies in the Sheriff's Officer gathered last night for a brief chapel service. A police chaplain talked to some members of the department. "It's difficult when it's a brother officer," Foster said, "especially in a department the size of Newberry's". The two-vehicle accident happened about 11 a.m., according to a statement issued by Foster. Two prisoners riding in the back of Bragg's vehicle were treated for injuries at the Newberry County Memorial hospital emergency room, the statement said. Foster said the prisoners injuries were not life-threatening. Bragg was transporting James R. Shinall and James C. Poss, both 18 and both from Greenwood, to Newberry for the current term of General Sessions Court. The sheriff said that a cage between the deputy driver and prisoners in the back of the patrol car saved the prisoners from more serious injuries. The front of the patrol car sustained most of the damage, Foster said, although the back doors were opened by the force of the impact. The prisoners got out of the car and stayed at the accident scene. "It was just a matter of minutes before people starting gathering to help," he said. The driver of the logging truck, Alva S. Harris, 64, of Pomaria was not seriously injured. Foster said no charges had been filed and the accident was still under investigation by the Highway Patrol. Bragg was freed by Newberry County Emergency Medical Service paramedics using the "Jaws of Life" power tool, Foster's statement said. Bragg was flown by helicopter to Richland Memorial where he died about 1:54 a.m., Foster's statement said. Bragg joined the Sheriff's Department in June, 1988, and completed basic law enforcement training at the SC Criminal Justice Academy last March, the statement said. Bragg was not married and lived at home with his parents in Whitmire, the statement said. A 1980 graduate of Whitmire High School, Bragg was a volunteer fireman with the Whitmire Fire Department and was named the Fireman of the Year for 1988. He also was a member of the Marine Corp. Reserve. Foster said Bragg was a good officer who had a long career in law enforcement ahead of him. (Deputy William Bragg's obit)