Lexington deputy seriously injured in crash. Other driver charged with DUI

Shards of metal, glass and plastic littered the asphalt of South Lake Drive Saturday morning after a driver hit the cruiser of a Lexington County Sheriff’s deputy.

The deputy sustained serious but non-life threatening injuries, the department said. The driver that struck the deputy’s car was identified by police as 36-year-old Michael Jordan Nichols. Police charged him with felony DUI.

Nichols was driving on South Lake Drive toward Red Bank between Two Notch Road and Community Drive about 6 a.m. Saturday when he crossed the line and hit deputy Roy Hall who was in the opposite lane, according to police.

Hall had to be cut out of his car and taken to the hospital, police said. Nichols was also trapped in his truck and had to be extricated before being taken to the hospital with serious injuries.

South Lake Drive was closed while troopers investigated but is now reopened.

Felony DUI is punishable with up to 15 years in prison and fines of $10,000.

This is the second collision a Lexington deputy has been in in less than a month.

This story was originally published June 8, 2019 at 2:34 PM.