Richland County Sheriff's Department, South Carolina
End of Watch: Wednesday, May 4, 2005
Age: 26
Tour of Duty: 2 years, 6 months
Badge Number: 824
Cause of Death: Automobile crash
Date of Incident: May 4, 2005
Weapon Used: Not available
Suspect Info: Not available
Deputy Sheriff Byron Cannon was killed in an automobile crash on I-20 at approximately 4:15 pm.
He and another deputy were both following a dump truck whose driver was suspected of being involved in an earlier assault. As they approached US 378, Deputy Cannon's patrol car, for unknown reasons, crossed the interstate's median, struck an SUV head-on, and was struck by a passenger car. The patrol car burst into flames after the second collision.
Deputy Cannon had served with the Richland County Sheriff's Department for 18 months and had previously served with the South Carolina Department of Probation and Parole for one year. He is survived by his fiance, brother, and his mother.