Lexington County Sheriff's Department, South Carolina
End of Watch: Thursday, August 21, 1986
Age: 44
Tour of Duty: 15 years
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Drowned
Date of Incident: August 21, 1986
Weapon Used: Not available
Suspect Info: Not available
Deputy Sheriff Douglas Jones drowned after accidentally driving into a drainage pond during a severe rainstorm. Deputy Jones was en route home when he volunteered to answer an alarm call at a business approximately two miles west of the interchange of I-20 and US Route 1.
The following morning Deputy Jones failed to show up for work. A short time later a person at the business called to report that a blue light was sticking out of the surface of the pond. When the pond was drained Deputy Jones' patrol car and body were found. Deputy Jones had been able to exit his patrol car but was unable to crawl up the bank of the pond, as the bank kept giving way.
Deputy Jones had served with the Lexington County Sheriff's Department for 15 years. He was a widower and was survived by his seven children.