A concurrent RESOLUTION

 

To request the Department of Transportation name a portion of Black Street in the City of Rock Hill in York County, from Albright Road to Orange Street, "Detective William A. Singleton Memorial Street" and erect appropriate signs or markers at this location containing these words.

 

Whereas, born January 13, 1924, in Charleston, William Alphonso Singleton was the son of John E. Singleton, a machine shop worker, and Eloise Singleton, a domestic worker. By 1940, the family which included two brothers and a sister, moved to Rock Hill where his father worked for the railroad; and

 

Whereas, William was attending high school when he registered for the draft in 1942. He enlisted in the United States Army in 1943 and served for the duration of World War II. He joined the Rock Hill Police Department around 1956; and

 

Whereas, Officer Singleton was wounded during a shooting in 1968 during an exchange of gunfire with a suspect at a shopping center. He was placed on administrative suspension during the investigation and ultimately acquitted. The suspect was charged with assault with a deadly weapon; and

 

Whereas, later in 1968 Officer Singleton was promoted to detective. On November 9th of that year, Detective Singleton was answering a call on Black Street when he was approached by Lorena Rhinehart. She told Detective Singleton that a man named James Charles Jeter had threatened to kill her. Moments later, Jeter exited the building, pulled out a .22 caliber pistol as he approached the two and started shooting. Unable to draw his own revolver, Detective Singleton tried to shield Rhinehart from the gunfire; and

 

Whereas, Detective Singleton's heroic actions saved Rhinehart's life but cost him his own. He'd received fatal head wounds and was pronounced dead later that night at Charlotte Memorial Hospital. Only 44 years old, Detective Singleton was survived by his wife Bettye Dunlap Singleton, sons William II and Wyatt, and daughters, Beverly and Barbara. He was laid to rest in Barber Memorial Cemetery. Detective William A. Singleton was inducted into the South Carolina Law Enforcement Hall of Fame in 1980; and

 

Whereas, it is only fitting and proper that Detective William A. Singleton, a dedicated member of the Rock Hill Police Department who gave his life in the line of duty, is honored with a street in Rock Hill named in his memory. Now, therefore,

 

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring:

 

That the members of the South Carolina General Assembly, by this resolution, request the Department of Transportation name a portion of Black Street, in the City of Rock Hill in York County, from Albright Road to Orange Street "Detective William A. Singleton Memorial Street" and erect appropriate signs or markers at this location containing these words.

 

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the Department of Transportation.

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