Herman Russell Saunders
Deputy Sheriff

Herman Russell Saunders

Accident
End of Watch September 12, 1940
Age 37
The Vigil Panel 77 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Deputy Sheriff Herman Saunders was killed when he fell from the running board of a vehicle while he and a Governor's officer pursued a car suspected of carrying illegal liquor approximately one mile from Sniders.

The Governor's office was driving the car and had pulled alongside the vehicle they were pursuing. Deputy Saunders was standing on the running board of their vehicle when the other car swerved into them, causing him to fall to the ground. He suffered a fractured skull and other serious injuries.

The four occupants of the vehicle were arrested and held pending charges.

Deputy Saunders had served with the Colleton County Sheriff's Office for six years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, stepfather, two brothers, one half-brother, and three half-sisters.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-SC-6509AFE9
Stewardship
Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Deputy Sheriff Saunders served with the Colleton County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Walterboro community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Saunders.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Type Other
Location Walterboro, Colleton County, SC
Platform Identity ccso.colleton.sc.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch September 12, 1940
Age 37
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident
Cause Detail Vehicle pursuit
Weapon Automobile

Deputy Sheriff Herman Russell Saunders is one of 1 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,772 officers honored here.

In SC, 138 of 441 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 31.3% of this state's fallen. That is 31.3 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Colleton County Sheriff's Department, 1 of 4 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 25% of this agency's fallen.

Colleton County Sheriff's Department
1
of 4 officers
25% Accident
SC — Statewide
138
of 441 officers
31.3% Accident
Nationwide
1
of 97,772 officers
0% Accident

National Cause Distribution

How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Herman Russell Saunders's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
1 (0%)
Accident
1 (0%)
Illness
1 (0%)
Cardiac
1 (0%)
Undetermined
1 (0%)
Suicide
1 (0%)

How Herman Russell Saunders Compares

Age at Death
37
This officer
Avg for Accident: 38.1 years

When Accident Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Herman Russell Saunders is highlighted in Sep.

Jan
820
Feb
730
Mar
748
Apr
708
May
848
Jun
797
Jul
899
Aug
938
Sep
913
Oct
925
Nov
872
Dec
897

Incident Location