Roll of Honor
Incident
Guard Reed Abell drowned when the prison camp dump truck he was riding in drove into a pond along U.S. Highway 21 adjacent to Lake Elizabeth.
A prisoner from Richland County Prison Camp No. 1 was driving the truck when its defective hood latch disengaged, causing the hood to open and block the driver's view. The driver was thrown from the vehicle as it hit a drainage ditch before entering the pond. A second prisoner who was in the cab was able to escape as the truck sank. The two prisoners tried to rescue Guard Abell but were unsuccessful.
Guard Abell was survived by four brothers and four sisters.
Survivors
Guard Abell was survived by four brothers and four sisters.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-SC-2C805973- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- April 2, 2026
- Last updated
- July 23, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew Reed. Claim this record.
This page is permanent and free. No fee to view it, no advertising, no tracking, and no account required. It will not be taken down.
Tributes
I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Guard Abell served with the Richland County Chain Gang.
Thank you for your service to the Columbia community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Guard Abell.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Guard Reed Marion Abell is one of 10,088 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 31% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In SC, 137 of 438 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 31.3% of this state's fallen. That is 0.3 percentage points above the national rate of 31%.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Reed Marion Abell's cause is highlighted.
How Reed Marion Abell Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Reed Marion Abell is highlighted in Nov.