COLUMBIA, S.C. — Hundreds of law enforcement officers, family members, and friends gathered Wednesday at Shandon Baptist Church to honor the life of South Carolina Highway Patrol Trooper First Class Dennis Ricks .

The 30-year-old trooper was hit by a vehicle during a traffic stop on I-26 in Orangeburg County in the early morning hours of August 10. He died several days later at the hospital. Ricks had served with the patrol for almost two years.

At the funeral, South Carolina Department of Public Safety Director Robert Woods called the day a somber one for the entire law enforcement community.

“Dennis had a desire to help and serve others,” Woods said. “While most people were home sleeping, he and his fellow troopers were out patrolling the roadways to make them safer for all of us.

See Full Page