GEORGETOWN CO, SC (WBTW) –Georgetown County Sheriff A. Lane Cribb has died after serving 27 years as sheriff.
“Our long-loved sheriff has died,” the Georgetown Co. Sheriff’s Office wrote in a statement on Thursday. “Hearts go out to the family and members of GCSO.”
Sheriff Cribb died Thursday after a brief illness at the Medical University of South Carolina. The South Strand News reports he had an allergic reaction to a cortisone shot.
Members of the Georgetown County Sheriff’s Office accompanied Sheriff Cribb’s body to Georgetown County on Thursday, the sheriff’s office reported. Funeral arrangements are pending.
“Sadly, we have lost another great South Carolina public servant today,” Gov. Henry McMaster tweeted. “Peggy and I ask that all South Carolinians keep the Cribb family in their prayers.”
Fifteenth Circuit Solicitor Jimmy Richardson says Sheriff Cribb was a close friend. “He was a wonderful, humble man and I know I’m going to miss him and the people of Georgetown County are going to miss him,” Richardson said. “Sheriff Cribb was always better to me than I was to him.”
Richardson said a previous illness that Cribb had seemed worse than this recent one, so he was surprised when he was notified. He said the last time he spent a few hours with Sheriff Cribb was at the July 4 boat parade.
Sheriff Cribb was elected sheriff of Georgetown County in 1992, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008 and 2012. He started his career in law enforcement with the South Carolina Alcohol Beverage Control as an investigator in 1973, according to the sheriff’s office website.
He worked as a criminal investigator with the Florence County Sheriff’s Office until he returned to Georgetown County to work as an investigator there.
Florence County Sheriff Billy Barnes sent this statement to our newsroom, regarding Sheriff Cribb’s death:
“Lane was an investigator here years ago where he did an excellent job. Not only was he an exceptional Sheriff of Georgetown County and an important member of law enforcement for South Carolina, but he was my friend. Mary and I extend our heartfelt condolences to the entire Cribb family.”
Sheriff Cribb attended Horry-Georgetown Technical College, Limestone College, and the University of Alabama. He held a bachelor’s degree in business administration. He was also a graduate of Carolina Command College, National Center for Rural Law Enforcement, South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy and numerous other law enforcement training school.
He was a member of the National Sheriff’s Association, South Carolina Sheriff’s Association, Masonic Lodge, and Elk Lodge. He was past president of North Carolina/South Carolina Law Enforcement Officer’s Association and past president of the South Carolina Sheriff’s Association.
At the Georgetown City Council meeting Thursday evening, Mayor Brendon Barber addressed Cribb’s death and offered thoughts and prayers to his family.
Late Thursday, Sheriff Cribb’s body was escorted by deputies from Charleston, back to Georgetown.
News13 was there as the procession moved through.
