Oconee Co Sheriff Crenshaw Says Deputy Came Back from Death

Those close to Oconee County Sheriff’s Deputy Lucas Watts say the deputy had a near-death experience after he was shot.

In an interview Monday with sister station 101.7/WGOG News Director Dick Mangrum, Oconee County Sheriff Mike Crenshaw recounted some of the events last week.

Rather than being on the scene with investigators after Watts was shot and rushed to the hospital, Crenshaw said he felt strongly that he needed to be at the hospital with Watts’ wife and when he arrived he said he was told Watts had been shot in the head and his injury was not survivable.. he was dead.

Later Crenshaw said that as a man of faith, he like so many others, was praying for his deputy when God spoke to his heart.

Prayer vigils took place across the Upstate over the weekend for Corporal Watts.

Candlelight prayer vigils for Watts took place Saturday at the Shaver Recreation Complex in Seneca and at Mountain Mocha in Walhalla.

And Sunday afternoon, people gathered to pray for Watts and his family at a large cross on the campus of Earles Grove Baptist Church in Westminster,

Meantime, Sheriff Crenshaw said Deputy Watts’ family is focusing solely on Lucas, at this time, and requests privacy.

He said Monday that the family has set up a CaringBridge account online to provide updates on the deputy’s condition at caringbridge.org.

He added that after a conversation with the family, the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office will not be providing any further updates on Lucas’ condition and all updates regarding his condition will be on the CaringBridge website.