Midlands deputy, school resource officer loses home, half dozen pets in fire

A sheriff’s deputy and school resource officer in Calhoun County lost his home and his 6 pets in a fire this week.

Flames started in the kitchen area of the Sugar Maple Road home while the deputy, Terry Snead, was away, according to St. Matthews deputy fire chief Brian Rizner and Caw Caw fire chief Nick Stabler.

When three crews of firemen arrived on the scene, there were flames and smoke coming out of both eaves and the laundry area, Rizner said. Inside the home were four dogs and two cats, all of which were killed in the fire, according to Stabler.

Snead is known in the community for being a fun-loving SRO, who would dress up to greet students. The Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office is asking for donations to support Snead, according to the department’s Facebook page. Money, household items and clothing can be dropped off at the sheriff’s office, which is located at 2811 Old Belleville Road in St. Matthews.

The D.A.R.E Association of South Carolina, which Snead is a leader of, is also collecting recovery funds via a GoFundMe page. As of the morning of July 5, the page had raised $1,165.

This story was originally published July 5, 2019 at 9:24 AM.