WAGRAM, NC (WBTW) – A Scotland County deputy was killed in a car crash Thursday evening, according to county officials.
Scotland County Director of Emergency Services Roylin Hammond says that the crash happened around 7 p.m. Thursday night on Old Wire Road near Wagram. The deputy was in his sheriff’s office cruiser and was the only vehicle involved in the crash.
Scotland County Sheriff Ralph Kersey says Deputy Alexis “Thunder” Eagle Locklear was killed while responding to help another officer who was actively pursuing a suspect in a vehicle chase.
“He was responding to assist, those who are a part of his law enforcement family. Something that we all take very seriously,” Kersey said.
Sheriff Kersey says Deputy Locklear was 24-years-old and had served the sheriff’s office as a sworn deputy since May 16, 2017, after graduating from Robeson Community College Basic Law Enforcement Training the same month.
“This is an incredibly sad day for the Scotland County Sheriff’s Office, and for the community we love and serve and for the law enforcement community as a whole,” Sheriff Kersey says. “It did not take a long bit of time spending with Thunder to know that he would fit right in with this family. He was just more than an employee he was family.”
Kersey says deputy Locklear’s patrol car number 143 will be retired.
Kersey says first responders that were at the scene came to the courthouse at 1:30 AM Friday morning, to talk about what happened and pray.
He says several departments across the state offered to counsel the deputies. The Sheriff’s Office plans to set up counseling later this month.
Locklear’s body was taken to Raleigh for an autopsy, which is standard procedure for law enforcement.
The NC highway patrol reconstruction team was called in last night. Kersey says he does not know how fast Locklear was going.
In a Facebook post, Sheriff Kersey describes Deputy Locklear as a brother who will always be remembered.
Here is the full post:
On Thursday, March 1, 2018, Deputy Alexis “Thunder” Eagle Locklear, (#143), was tragically killed while responding to assist another officer who was actively pursuing a suspect in a vehicle chase. Deputy Locklear was involved in a single vehicle accident while traveling down Old Wire Road near Arch Mclean Road in Wagram, North Carolina.
Deputy Locklear was twenty four years old at the time of his death. Deputy Locklear became a full time sworn deputy with the Scotland County Sheriff’s Office on May 16, 2017. He was assigned to the Patrol Division, Shift C. He graduated from Robeson Community College Basic Law Enforcement Training on May 4, 2017, in Lumberton, North Carolina.
This is an incredibly sad day for the Scotland County Sheriff’s Office, and for the community we love and serve and for the law enforcement community as a whole.
Deputy Locklear was loved, honored and respected. He brought great joy and pleasure in our hearts and spirits in our time of having him as a brother in this family we like to call home, here at the Scotland County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputy Locklear will forever be in our hearts and minds. His memory will continue to live on as we continue the good fight that the Lord has called us to.
Please keep the family, friends and the Scotland County Sheriff’s Office in your prayers
Funeral arrangements will be posted as soon as the information is available.
End of Watch (EOW), Deputy Alexis “Thunder” Locklear, March 1, 2018 at 1920 hours. “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God”- Matthew 5:9
