Deputies Transporting Patients Who Died During Florence Are Fired

CONWAY, SC — Two South Carolina deputies have been fired after two female patients they were transporting between facilities during Hurricane Florence died when the van became overcome by flood waters, the Horry County Sheriff's Office said in a statement.

The statement said that the employment of corrections officers Stephen Flood and Joshua Bishop with the sheriff's office was terminated on Thursday.

"Since the administrative internal investigation is currently continuing and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division inquiry into the incident is ongoing, no further details regarding the employees' termination of employment can be released at this time," the statement said.

The drowning in September happened as the two mental health patients were being transported from Conway to Darlington. According to a Horry County Sheriff's Office statement from the time, the van the patients were being transported in was about half a mile from the LIttle Pee Dee River when it became overcome by flood waters. The sheriff's statement said the deputies attempted to extricate the two women being transported but were unsuccesful.

WPDE reported that the two victims were identified as Wendy Wenton, of Shallotte and Nicolette Green, of Myrtle Beach.

According to BuzzFeed News, Horry County Sheriff Phillip Thompson said last month that it appeared the deputies drove around road barriers put in place during the Hurricane. Myrtle Beach Online reported that Thompson called the family of Nicolette Green to tell them about the decision to fire the two deputies before it was announced.

Photo: This Monday, Sept. 17, 2018 photo shows rising flood waters in the Pee Dee area in Marion County, S.C., Photo by Meg Kinnard/Associated Press