GREENWOOD, SC — K-9 Officer D.J. Keller, 31, died May 12 following a head-on crash while responding to a police chase.
The collision occurred around 5 p.m. on East Cambridge Avenue. According to Master Trooper Hannah Davidson, the incident began with an attempted traffic stop on a blue Jeep connected to multiple shootings. The westbound 2016 Wrangler veered into oncoming traffic and collided with Keller's city-owned Ford Explorer.
Authorities reported that the driver, a 15-year-old, and passengers aged 17 and 18 were taken to local hospitals; their conditions remain unknown. Keller's K-9 partner, Vice, was present but uninjured.
Keller joined the Greenwood Police Department in March 2023 as a K-9 officer. He previously served in the U.S. Army and the National Guard. He is survived by his wife, Alison, and their 2-year-old daughter.
Greenwood Police Chief T.J. Chaudoin expressed deep sorrow at a press conference, stating, “The loss is being felt deeply throughout our entire organization and community.” This incident marks the department's first on-duty death since 1956.
The South Carolina Highway Patrol is investigating the crash. Chaudoin emphasized, “That officer did nothing wrong. He was just serving our community.”