Driver charged with murder after South Carolina deputy is dragged into oncoming traffic
Two people have been charged after a Greenville County sheriff’s deputy was killed in the line of duty this week, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division announced on the eve of the deputy’s funeral.
Master Deputy Conley Jumper died Tuesday after the driver of a Nissan dragged him into oncoming traffic on I-85 and he was struck by an 18-wheeler, according to affidavits released by SLED. The driver, 37-year-old Ray L. Kelly, has been charged with murder and resisting arrest with a deadly weapon, among others.
His female passenger, 24-year-old Tornell T. Laureano, also faces charges relating to drugs found in the car.
“Conley Jumper was a man of integrity and passion,” Sheriff Hobart Lewis said in a statement. “When I say passion, I mean the man was as dedicated to the job as they come. He was larger than life, both literally and figuratively. At over 6-foot-4 he was a gentle giant who always wore a contagious smile.”
The 52-year-old served on the force in Greenville County for 28 years, according to the sheriff’s office. He was promoted to sergeant after his death and is survived by his wife, Sarah, and his daughter, Cat.
Jumper’s death marks the second law enforcement officer in South Carolina to be killed in the line of duty during October. Myrtle Beach police patrol officer Jacob Hancher was shot and killed during a domestic violence call on Oct. 3.
Jumper’s funeral was held at 9 a.m. Friday at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville and was open to the public. The sheriff’s office asked guests to wear face masks and practice social distancing. Hundreds of people had arrived by 8:15, and one of the funeral directors said they were preparing for upwards of 2,000 guests to fill the 15,000-person arena, The Greenville News reported.
“He wasn’t afraid to have fun or poke fun of himself,” Greenville County Superintendent Burke Royster said during the service, according to the newspaper. “He was trusted. He was loved. ... He had sound judgment that stemmed from a core sense of right and wrong.”
A procession to Pomaria Cemetery in nearby Newberry County followed the service, and a memorial for Jumper has been set up at the law enforcement center on Stone Avenue in Greenville.
According to a statement by the sheriff’s office on Facebook, Jumper was assisting in a traffic stop on northbound I-85 near White Horse Road just before 3 p.m. Tuesday when he was killed. The driver of the Nissan Altima that had been pulled over — later identified as Kelly — “engaged deputies in a physical altercation and a struggle ensued,” the sheriff’s office said.
Kelly was reportedly able to get back in his car and rammed it into a tractor-trailer. Law enforcement was initially uncertain about the “sequence of events,” but said another deputy’s patrol car was also involved in the collision.
“In all, three deputies were transported to the hospital along with two individuals from the suspect vehicle,” the statement reads. “Master Deputy Jumper succumbed to his injuries and was ultimately pronounced deceased at the hospital. The other two deputies are expected to recover as are the occupants from the suspect vehicle.”
According to affidavits for his arrest, Kelly was “pushing, striking and pulling away” from deputies when Jumper arrived. At some point, investigators said he got back in his car and “intentionally drove the Nissan into heavy, oncoming traffic.”
“As Kelly drove away, Deputy Jumper was unable to disengage from Kelly and the Nissan,” the affidavit states. “Shortly after, Deputy Jumper was then struck by an 18-wheeler and briefly pinned between the Nissan and the 18-wheeler.”
Kelly and Laureano, whose addresses are listed in New York, were injured and taken to Prisma Health Greenville Memorial Hospital.
After a search of the car, investigators found a Glock handgun and four plastic bags containing 81 grams of crack cocaine hidden inside a laundry bag containing men’s and women’s clothing, according to the affidavits.
Kelly has been charged with murder, resisting arrest with a deadly weapon, assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature, weapons possession during a violent crime, two counts of resisting arrest and drug trafficking, according to SLED. Laureano is charged with drug trafficking and weapons possession during a violent crime.
Both are being held without bond at the Greenville County Detention Center, according to jail records.
This story was originally published October 23, 2020 at 2:03 PM with the headline "Driver charged with murder after South Carolina deputy is dragged into oncoming traffic."
