If you’ve ever seen a police car racing down the street with lights and sirens on, in hot pursuit of another vehicle, you probably assumed something big was happening. After all, you wouldn’t expect law enforcement to put others on the road at risk over something trivial. Unfortunately, that official vehicle flying down the road and running stop signs and red lights may be chasing someone who…exceeded the speed limit or ran a stop sign or red light.
A Department of Justice (DOJ) report based on five years of data showed that 69% of police chases in departments studied began with a traffic violation. About another 20% were triggered by a suspected misdemeanor or non-violent felony offense.
Police Chases Carry a Heavy Cost
In the same study mentioned above, the DOJ reported that 15% of police vehicle pursuits ended with a motor vehicle crash. Between 1996 and 2015, an average of about one person per day died in a police-pursuit crash. Those numbers have continued to climb. In 2021, 525 people around the country died in police chases. In 2022, there were 577 fatalities
Many of those killed in police-chase related traffic crashes are drivers of the fleeing vehicles. But, they are far from the only victims. A significant percentage of those killed are passengers in the fleeing vehicles, occupants of other vehicles on the road, and even pedestrians. A very small percentage are police officers.
Local Tragedy Drives Home the Risks of High-Speed Pursuit
In late April, a North Charleston police officer attempted to pull over a U-Haul vehicle for making an improper right turn on red. When the vehicle failed to stop, police gave chase, reportedly reaching speeds of 90 mph. Though police say they abandoned the pursuit at the intersection of Columbus and King, the U-Haul crashed less than half a mile later.
The fleeing driver reportedly hit two pedestrians before colliding with a Mercedes sedan. The Mercedes hit a motorcycle, which in turn collided with a Chevy Tahoe. One person was killed and at least six others injured.
The driver has been charged with reckless homicide. Similar charges are common when a police chase ends in the death of someone other than the fleeing driver. Clearly, the driver shouldn’t have run from the police, particularly not at speeds far in excess of the legal limits. But, did an illegal right turn at a red light justify police engaging in a high-speed pursuit?
Unfortunately, the answer in South Carolina is “that depends on where you are.”
Other Recent Police Pursuit Fatalities in and Around Charleston
Sadly, the story above isn’t all that unusual. Some other recent examples of police pursuits ending in death include:
- In November of 2024, the Isle of Palms Police Department pursued a vehicle after the driver fled from an attempted traffic stop. The fleeing vehicle reportedly reached speeds of more than 100 mph before police say they lost sight of the vehicle and then discovered that it had collided with a tree. The driver and two passengers, aged 20, 20 and 19 were killed.
- In December of 2024, one person died and another was injured when a vehicle fleeing an attempted traffic stop went off the road and struck a sign post.
- In February of 2025, one person was killed and two injured in Silver Leaf, after a vehicle the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office had been pursuing struck a tree and caught fire.
- In May of 2025, a man fleeing an attempted traffic stop for a suspected stolen vehicle. The vehicle crashed and the driver was thrown from the vehicle.
Inconsistent Police Chase Policies Add to Confusion
In 2023, the state mandated that local police departments implement rules for when and how a police officer could engage in vehicular pursuit. However, in South Carolina, there is no consistent set of guidelines. Instead, each department is free to set its own policies regarding police chases. Even where a department has a policy, the rules may be vague or offer police significant discretion, and officers may be indequately trained on how to assess a possible pursuit situation. In fact, many police agencies seem to mistakenly believe that their officers are receiving police pursuit training somewhere else.
This is the first in a series of posts about the dangers of police chases, what policies are currently in place locally, what the South Carolina legislature is considering to reduce the risks and standardize rules across the state, and when police departments may be liable for injuries and fatalities caused by police chases.
The Hartman Law Firm Helps People Injured in Motor Vehicle Accidents
Whether you’ve been injured in a police chase or another type of motor vehicle accident, your best next step is to talk to an experienced Charleston car accident lawyer. To schedule a free consultation with attorney Frank Hartman, call 843-300-7600 right now, or fill out our contact form.