In the winter of 2000, South Carolina Highway Patrol Trooper Eric Francis Nicholson, a 28-year-old male, was on duty in Greenville County. On December 6th, his path tragically intersected with that of a bank robbery suspect he was attempting to pull over. Before Trooper Nicholson could even exit his patrol car, the suspect, who was on a motorcycle, opened fire, shooting him multiple times.
The trooper, a United States Marine Corps veteran who had served with the Highway Patrol for two and a half years, was airlifted to a local hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.
The suspect, identified as John Richard Wood, fled the scene, abandoning his motorcycle and escaping in a getaway vehicle driven by a female accomplice. A chase ensued, and the tag number of the getaway vehicle was reported to the police by concerned citizens who had witnessed the events. This led law enforcement to a residence where they attempted to apprehend the suspect. A shootout erupted between Wood and the officers, during which another deputy was injured. The pursuit came to an end on a dead-end road where Wood was shot, wounded, and finally taken into custody. His accomplice was also apprehended.
In the aftermath of the violent encounter, John Richard Wood faced trial for the murder of Trooper Eric Nicholson and a host of other charges stemming from the bank robbery and subsequent chase. In January 2002, a jury found him guilty, and he was sentenced to death. His accomplice received a 25-year prison sentence for her role in the crimes. Wood was also convicted in Anderson County on numerous other charges related to the crime spree, adding a 138-year prison sentence to his death penalty.
