On the morning of September 26, Charleston County Sheriff’s deputies pursued a vehicle on I-26 after noting that the license plates on the vehicles did not match the vehicle. The Sheriff’s Office says the chase was soon abandoned, due to high speeds. But, moments later, a crash occurred on College Park Road, just off I-26.
One of the three vehicles involved in the collision appeared to be the one Charleston County deputies had been pursuing. The driver of that vehicle, their passenger, and the drivers of two other vehicles were transported to the hospital.
Police Chases are Common in Charleston County
Recent reporting revealed that the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office engaged in 184 vehicle pursuits in 2023, or about one every other day. 97 of those chases reached speeds of 100 mph or more. The Sheriff’s Office wasn’t alone. During the same time period, the North Charleston Police Department reportedly engaged in 164 chases. The Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office posted 117 vehicle pursuits, and the Summerville Police Department 89.
While police chases are sometimes necessary, there is no question that they present a danger to others on the road. In 2022, 577 people around the country were killed in police chases. Most of them were not involved in the pursuit.
In 2023, the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) released a report in conjunction with the Office of Community Oriented Policing (COPS) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). A key recommendation in that report was that police agencies should adopt “restrictive vehicle pursuit philosophies that permit pursuits only for a limited set of serious circumstances…” Specifically, the recommendation was to adopt a standard that:
…permits pursuits only for violent crimes and where failure to immediately apprehend the suspect presents an imminent threat to the public based on the suspect’s criminal actions (not the danger created from the suspect’s driving as they flee from police, even if the officer believes an individual in the suspect’s vehicle is armed and dangerous). This philosophy must be reinforced throughout the agency’s policy, training, and organizational culture.
Most departments do have restrictive policies, including local law enforcement agencies. For example, the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office’s Policy and Procedures Manual says:
The decision to initiate pursuit must be based on the pursuing deputy sheriff’s conclusiInon that the immediate danger to the deputy and thepublic created by the pursuit is less than the immediate or potential danger to the public should the suspect remain at large. Pursuit may be justified if the deputy sheriff reasonably believes that the suspect, if allowed to flee, would present a danger to human life, or cause serious injury.
Injured Due to a Police Chase?
If you’ve been injured as a result of a South Carolina police chase, you may be entitled to compensation. The specifics of the accident will determine who may be liable for your injuries. For example, if the fleeing driver hits your vehicle as they are speeding away from law enforcement officers, they will likely be at least partly responsible. But, if the police agency involved hasn’t followed its own procedures, didn’t have appropriate procedures in place, or was otherwise negligent, they may also be liable. The best source of information about who may be responsible for your injuries and other damages is an experienced Charleston car accident lawyer.