South Carolina S 553: Medal of Valor-Oconee County Corporal Lucas Watts, Captain Thomas Crompton, Lieutenant Justin Murphy, Corporal Chris Johnson, and

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 553 Text of Previous Version (Apr. 15, 2025) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 553

Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

A concurrent RESOLUTION

TO RECOGNIZE AND HONOR Corporal Lucas Watts, Captain 
Thomas Crompton, Lieutenant Justin Murphy, Corporal Chris Johnson, Staff 
Sergeant Charles Mulwee, and First Sergeant David Carr, all OF THE Oconee 
COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE, and Deputy First Class Tyler Bishop of the Pickens 
County Sheriff's Office FOR EXCEPTIONAL COURAGE IN THE FACE OF DANGER WHILE IN 
THE LINE OF DUTY AND TO CONGRATULATE THEM UPON RECEIVING THE SOUTH CAROLINA 
SHERIFFS' ASSOCIATION 2024 MEDAL OF VALOR AWARD.

Whereas, the South 
Carolina General Assembly is pleased to learn that Corporal Lucas Watts, 
Captain Thomas Crompton, Lieutenant Justin Murphy, Corporal Chris Johnson, 
Staff Sergeant Charles Mulwee, First Sergeant David Carr, and Deputy First 
Class Tyler Bishop will be awarded the esteemed South Carolina Sheriffs' 
Association 2024 Medal of Valor Award during the association's awards banquet 
in Columbia on April 23, 2025; and

Whereas, the Medal of 
Valor Award is presented to a deputy sheriff who performs actions above and 
beyond the call of duty; exhibits exceptional courage, extraordinary 
decisiveness, and presence of mind; or acts with unusual swiftness, regardless 
of his or her personal safety, in an attempt to save or protect human life. Nominations 
made by the sheriff are presented to a standing committee of sheriffs who 
evaluate the nominations, and recipients are presented with the medal at the 
awards banquet; and

Whereas, on November 
16, 2023, Corporal Watts initiated a traffic stop on a truck with a tag that 
read PR1VATE TR-VL. Corporal Johnson arrived on the scene to assist in the 
traffic stop. The driver would not cooperate with Corporal Watts to produce his 
driver's license and registration and asked to speak with the deputy's 
supervisor. Lieutenant Murphy and Captain Crompton arrived shortly after that, 
and for two hours with his driver-side window lowered only two inches, the driver 
would not answer any questions and tried to steer the conversation to free 
travel and the Constitution; and

Whereas, as the 
deputies were placing stop sticks around the vehicle, the driver took off at 
high speed, driving at a speed of 100 miles an hour. Corporal Watts was first 
in the pursuit, followed by others on the scene. When the suspect stopped, he exited 
his vehicle and fired multiple shots at the deputies' vehicles. As he returned 
to his vehicle, the deputies prepared to pursue him. Corporal Watts did not 
respond; he had been shot in the head during the exchange of gunfire; and

Whereas, Lieutenant 
Murphy, Corporal Johnson, and Staff Sergeant Mulwee carried Corporal Watts to Captain 
Crompton's vehicle. Captain Crompton and Staff Sergeant Mulwee transported him 
to get medical help while Lieutenant Murphy and Corporal Johnson armed 
themselves with patrol rifles. First Sergeant Carr and Deputy Bishop arrived on 
the scene and located the suspect over the hill from the incident. After an 
exchange of gunfire, the suspect retreated into a travel trailer and returned 
with an assault-type rifle. When gunfire was exchanged again, the deputies 
bravely engaged the suspect, without the benefit of any covering, resulting in 
injuries to the suspect; and

Whereas, the South 
Carolina General Assembly is honored to recognize the heroism and determination 
of law enforcement officers and first responders like Corporal Lucas Watts, 
Captain Thomas Crompton, Lieutenant Justin Murphy, Corporal Chris Johnson, 
Staff Sergeant Charles Mulwee, First Sergeant David Carr, and Deputy First 
Class Tyler Bishop who protect and defend our citizens, putting the safety of 
others above their own personal safety. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the Senate, the House of Representatives 
concurring:

That the members of the South Carolina General 
Assembly, by this resolution, recognize and honor Corporal Lucas Watts, Captain 
Thomas Crompton, Lieutenant Justin Murphy, Corporal Chris Johnson, Staff 
Sergeant Charles Mulwee, and First Sergeant David Carr, all of the Oconee 
County Sheriff's Office, and Deputy First Class Tyler Bishop of the Pickens 
County Sheriff's Office for exceptional courage in the face of danger while in 
the line of duty and congratulate them upon receiving the South Carolina 
Sheriffs' Association 2024 Medal of Valor Award.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution 
be presented to Corporal Lucas Watts, Captain Thomas Crompton, Lieutenant 
Justin Murphy, Corporal Chris Johnson, Staff Sergeant Charles Mulwee, First 
Sergeant David Carr, and Deputy First Class Tyler Bishop.

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This web page was last updated on April 15, 2025 at 12:35 PM