Roll of Honor
Incident
Patrolman Earl Compton succumbed to injuries he received from an automobile accident on South Murray Avenue and Moore Street in Anderson shortly before 10 pm. Patrolman Compton and his partner were on their way to investigate a disturbance at a local cafe when a vehicle without lights pulled out in front of them. When the other officer swerved to avoid a wreck, Patrolman Compton was thrown from the vehicle. He was transported to the Greenville General Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries at 1:50 am. The other officer was also hospitalized. Patrolman Compton was a United States Navy veteran who served with the Iva Police Department and had been hired by the Greenville Sheriff's Office to start that week.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife, son, two daughters, five sisters, and three brothers.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-SC-67424571- 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.
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Tributes
I served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Patrolman Compton served with the Iva Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Iva community, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
Earl Dean Compton, Sr. served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.
Patrolman Earl Dean Compton, Sr. 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. Earl Dean Compton, Sr.'s cause is highlighted.
How Earl Dean Compton, Sr. Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Earl Dean Compton, Sr. is highlighted in Aug.