State Trooper Fired in Speeding Incident
State Trooper Fired in Speeding Incident"
- Select a language for the TTS:
- UK English Female
- UK English Male
- US English Female
- US English Male
- Australian Female
- Australian Male
- Language selected: (auto detect) - EN
Play all audios:
COLUMBIA, S.C. — A state trooper was captured on his own car’s video camera and fired for yanking a speeding suspect out of her car, throwing her to the ground, cursing her and threatening
to cut off her clothes.
State officials last week released the tape, which Public Safety Director Boykin Rose said showed Lance Cpl. W.H. Beckwith “violating every procedure in the book.”
Beckwith, an 11-year Highway Patrol veteran, was fired in February for the Jan. 8 confrontation. His car was one of about 350 patrol cars equipped with video cameras that turn on with the
cars’ lights and sirens. The cameras keep running until the lights are turned off.
Rose has forwarded the tape to the State Law Enforcement Division, the state attorney general and the FBI for possible criminal charges, including assault and civil rights violations.
“It’s imperative that the citizens of this state know this is an isolated incident,” Rose said. “This is a blot on all of us.”
The videotape was called “outrageous” by Robert Rowe, president of the South Carolina Troopers Assn. “There was a lot of unwarranted overreaction on Beckwith’s part.”
The unidentified Florida woman, who was traveling to North Carolina, was pulled over for allegedly doing 80 mph in a 65-mph zone. One of her lawyers, John Delgado, said he wrote to the
Public Safety Department last month to tell them of his intent to file a civil rights suit.
“It’s just beyond description that that could happen in a free country,” Delgado said. “That was just pure unadulterated anger, couched in an official capacity with a badge and a gun.”
Shortly before 1 p.m. on Jan. 8, Beckwith was driving an unmarked patrol car along Interstate 95 in Clarendon County when he saw the woman driving.
His car’s siren can be heard on the videotape and Beckwith had his blue lights on, Rose said, but the woman did not stop for seven minutes. “I had no idea who you were,” she said later on
tape.
Beckwith did not wear his trooper’s hat while driving, as he was supposed to, Rose said.
Once the woman stopped, Beckwith approached the car with his gun drawn and began trying to drag her out. She protested that her seat belt was still fastened.
“I’ve been behind you with blue lights. . . . Get on the damn ground, lady! On the damn ground!” he shouted.
He yanked her from the car, pushed her onto her hands and knees, then forced her face-down on the pavement. When Beckwith tried to handcuff the woman, part of her clothing got in the way.
“If I can’t get it off, I’ll cut it off,” he told her.
When the woman said she could not roll over to stand up because she was next to the car, he shouted: “Roll over and stand your ass up, lady, now! You’re fixin’ to taste liquid hell in a
minute!”
The woman suffered bruises and scratches, Rose said. She pleaded guilty to speeding, a charge of failure to stop for police was dropped, and she was released the same day, Rose said.
After the woman complained that day, Beckwith’s superiors got the tape from his car. Beckwith was suspended Feb. 1, but it took until Feb. 22 to complete the investigation and fire him, Rose
said.
“I can’t begin to imagine what was going on in this trooper’s mind,” Rose said.
Trending News
Lightning Conductors | NatureDownload PDF Letter Published: 26 August 1880 Lightning Conductors CATHERINE MCPHERSON DE BREMON1 Nature volume 22, pag...
The sapphires dominates aacta awardsMark Naglazas, Film EditorThe West Australian The populist bent of Australia's version of the Oscars continues, wit...
Lakshmi bai source of inspiration for her steadfast opposition to colonial rule: pmNew Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tributes to Lakshmi Bai, the Jhansi queen who fought a fierce battle agains...
White house indicates trump to veto disapproval of emergencyPresident Donald Trump is prepared to issue the first veto of his term if Congress votes to disapprove his declaration o...
WIN 1 of 10 double passes to the Spanish Film FestivalWIN 1 of 10 double passes to the Spanish Film FestivalWEST REWARDSThe West AustralianMon, 28 March 2022 12:00AMCamera Ic...
Latests News
State Trooper Fired in Speeding IncidentCOLUMBIA, S.C. — A state trooper was captured on his own car’s video camera and fired for yanking a speeding suspect out...
Politics chat: trump's economic policyAYESHA RASCOE, HOST: President Trump's big tax-cutting bill is on its way to the Senate, and it still includes majo...
Portrait | art and politics | season 3Portrait Clip: 11/19/1992 | 2m 36sVideo has Closed Captions | CC Regardless of political affiliation, John Killacky has ...
Amchang: How thousands were rendered homeless due to ‘govt apathy’ - EastMojoGuwahati: Call it a political game plan or the failure of the state government to assess the “rehabilitation and relief ...
Step up surveillance to stop bird flu spread from china: unBy Umberto Bacchi ROME, March 17 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Countries trading in Chinese poultry should step up surv...