SUMMERVILLE, SC — Family, friends and law enforcement officers gathered to honor Charleston County Sheriff’s Office Detective Michael Wade Hendricks one week after he was killed in a crash while on duty. The 33-year-old deputy was remembered Wednesday during a celebration of life at Faith Church, following a private funeral ceremony earlier in the morning.
The service mixed grief with tribute, as colleagues described Hendricks as a committed investigator and a trusted teammate. Sheriff Carl Ritchie said Hendricks had worked hard to earn a posthumous promotion to Master Deputy, and he announced that Hendricks’ badge number, 245, would be retired after his final radio call.
Sheriff’s office leaders recall a detective who never stopped studying
In remarks at the service, Ritchie said Hendricks had found his place with the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office, where he served on the SWAT team and the Metro Narcotics Unit. He said Hendricks took pride in the work and viewed his Metro colleagues as a second family.
Ritchie also described a notebook found in Hendricks’ vehicle after his death. According to the sheriff, it contained handwritten notes on techniques, procedures and reminders that showed how determined the deputy was to sharpen his skills. Ritchie said Hendricks was not content to simply do the job; he wanted to do it correctly every time.
The sheriff also shared lighter memories, including Hendricks’ well-known fondness for energy drinks. In a nod to that habit, Ritchie raised a Monster Energy drink during the service and invited members of Hendricks’ Metro team to do the same in a toast to their fallen colleague.
Law enforcement honors include a final radio call, bagpipes and a flyover
After the church service, Hendricks received a series of honors from law enforcement and loved ones. Pallbearers escorted him from the church, North Charleston Police Sgt. James Ryan played “Amazing Grace” on the bagpipes, and a 21-gun salute followed, along with Taps.
Consolidated Dispatch broadcast Hendricks’ last radio call over the North and West channels, and Air 1 conducted a flyover as the procession moved forward. Hendricks was then placed in a hearse before the funeral procession departed the church.
The ceremony reflected the broad respect Hendricks had earned across the Lowcountry law enforcement community. Officers, relatives and friends stood together as the final tributes marked the end of a difficult week for the department and the family he leaves behind.
Career began in Summerville and led to Charleston County’s Metro unit
Charleston County Council Chairman Joe Boykin read a proclamation honoring Hendricks’ career and tracing his path through local law enforcement. Boykin said Hendricks first got involved with the Summerville Police Department’s explorer program in 2006 before working with agencies across the Tri-County and joining CCSO in 2023.
Boykin said Hendricks was especially determined to earn a place in the Metro Narcotics Unit. The proclamation said Hendricks and the unit seized more than $2.2 million in illegal drugs in 2025, and the team was later named CCSO’s Unit of the Year.
Boykin said Hendricks would be remembered for his commitment and his work ethic. The council chairman told mourners that the deputy would be missed, but not forgotten, as his career and service were praised from the podium.
Friends and relatives described a deputy who helped before anyone asked
Family members used the service to share stories that showed how Hendricks carried himself away from work. His mother-in-law, Vicky Henson, said she once met him after a crash when he was the first officer to arrive, even though the scene was outside his jurisdiction. She said he stayed with her until additional officers arrived because she was shaken and alone.
Henson said that same instinct to help later showed up in the way he lived with her family. She officiated his wedding to her stepdaughter, Kayla, and said he consistently lifted up the people around him rather than simply patrolling the community.
Hendricks’ younger brother, Dustin, described him as a mentor and protector who urged him to get his GED, stay out of trouble and build a future. He said their final full day together was Labor Day, when the family ate at Cracker Barrel, shopped and spent time together.
Deputy leaves wife, five children and a family asking for memorial support
Hendricks’ obituary described him as a devoted husband and father whose interests included fishing, Call of Duty, Gamecocks football, tattoos and baseball. He coached his son, and the obituary said his children were his greatest joy.
He is survived by his wife, Kayla, his five children and an extended family that turned out in force for the service. At the end of the day, the funeral procession carried not only the deputy’s body, but also the memories of a career that touched many people across the county.
Hendricks was killed Sept. 9 in a crash on Ladson Road between Highway 78 and Lincolnville Road while on duty. The family asked that memorial contributions be made to Serve & Connect’s Tragedy Response Program, which assists first responders, victims and communities after traumatic events.
