Last Wednesday, a shopper at Walmart collapsed at the self-checkout counter while paying for his groceries. The 63 year old male (name withheld) passed out and struck his face on the shopping cart. He then fell backwards and suffered a deep gash on the back of his head when it hit the concrete floor.
Many shoppers and staff were nearby and witnessed the incident. Sheriff Tim Baxley of the Clarendon County Sheriff’s Office was at the next checkout counter when the man fell.
“I heard the sound of his head hitting the ground, which was very loud,” said Baxley. “When I got to him, he was lying on the floor. He was not responsive, had no heartbeat, and was not breathing. It appeared to me thatthe man had suffered a massive heart attack. I then started CPR to attempt to revive him.”
Baxley, being a CPR instructor for more than 20 years, began chest compressions on the male. He asked bystanders and Walmart staff if anyone had called 911 yet. Baxley was in full uniform and still had his radio on his belt. He contacted the Clarendon Dispatch Center and requested for an ambulance to be sent to his location, which was near the grocery entrance to Walmart. He continued his efforts to perform CPR, along with the help of an unknown woman who offered to help. She decided to attempt mouth to mouth on her own, but was unable to force air into the man’s lungs. Baxley realized that the airway was obstructed.
“According to the man’s driver’s license, he was 6’7 and weighed 280 lbs,” said Baxley. “With assistance, we rolled him over to see if we could dislodge anything in his windpipe, but were unsuccessful.” The staff at Walmart diverted people away from the area and assisted Baxley when needed.
Less than 10 minutes from the time that the man collapsed, Clarendon County Fire Department personnel arrived and were able to take over compressions for Baxley. Clarendon Emergency Medical Services arrived and used an artificial CPR machine to continue resuscitation efforts. They also used their defibrillator, which sends electricity to the man’s heart to restart it. The treatment resulted in the man’s heartbeat to return intermittently.
“While we were assisting EMS, the man coughed very hard,” said Baxley. “ A large wad of chewing tobacco came out of his mouth. Apparently, he had it in his mouth when he collapsed. The tobacco was lodged in his throat and blocked off his airway.”
A member of the CCFD said that the man’s color became lighter once the tobacco was removed, but he was still unresponsive. EMS transported him to McLeod Health Clarendon Emergency Dept, where he was evaluated and then sent to McLeod Hospital in Florence by helicopter. Recent reports indicate that he is in stable but critical condition.
Baxley said that this incident was the second time in his 36 year career of law enforcement that he has had to administer CPR. The first time was at the Clarendon County Court House when a courtroom officer became unconscious. The officer survived that incident.
“I am glad that I was able to do my part to help this gentleman out,” said Baxley. “I was there only to buy some coffee and head home. We never know when a situation arises that causes us to react. As long as we remain calm, focused, and rely on our training, we can make a difference. I am beyond blessed and proud to be Sheriff for Clarendon County. But even more proud that I am a member of the team made up of law enforcement, Fire Dept, and EMS that provides service to help anyone in our county.”
