Patrolman Richey O'Brian Finch

Richey O'Brian Finch

Patrolman Richey Finch was shot and killed during a traffic stop at 1:30 a.m. on Forest Drive near Gamewell Drive.

During the stop, one of the occupants ran to the patrol car and opened fire, killing Patrolman Finch. The three subjects in the vehicle then fled and began to hitchhike on I-20.

Deputy Sheriff Ernest Potter, of the Kershaw County Sheriff's Office, and his partner stopped the suspects several hours later when they observed them hitchhiking. As the deputies stepped out of their patrol car, one of the men opened fire, killing Deputy Potter and wounding his partner.

One suspect surrendered to the Richland County Sheriff's Department and charged in connection with the shootings. One week later a second suspect surrendered to officers in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, two weeks later. He was charged with the murder of Patrolman Finch, Deputy Potter, and the attempted murder of Deputy Potter's partner. The third suspect surrendered to Columbia Police Department officers three weeks after the shootings.

On June 17, 1975, the older suspect was convicted of two counts of murder and sentenced to life in prison plus 99 years. The other two were convicted of being accessories to murder and sentenced to 10 years each.

Patrolman Finch was a United States Navy veteran and had served with the Forest Acres Police Department for over one year. He was survived by his wife, parents, sister, and two brothers.