As previously reported, a viral video of Beaufort Police Department (PD) officers pulling a woman out of a car as well as fighting with and arresting two other people was posted on Facebook on November 29, 2024. The short video shows a small fraction of everything that happened during the incident where a total of four people were arrested, seven officers responded, and a tow truck driver was assaulted, but it raises a great deal of concern around the use of force seen in the video. Beaufort PD has done little to address the criticism from the public or explain the incident, but they did name the incident’s lead officer the 2024 Officer of the Year on December 20, 2024 stating that she “embodies the values of the Beaufort Police Department”.
A couple days after the incident, Beaufort Insider submitted this FOIA request with the hope of gaining clarity about the entire incident that surrounded the Facebook video. In the weeks since the incident Beaufort PD has not shared much substantive information about the four arrests, and their statements (1, 2) have not leaned in support of their officers nor have they leaned toward admitting their officers made mistakes. The PD gave a synopsis of the incident, stated that the arrests were lawful, but also stated that there was disciplinary action for the officers involved. Beaufort Insider has heard rumors of suspensions for those officers, but we have also heard that the only discipline was an assignment to de-escalation training for the supervising officers.
Unfortunately, the PD’s response to Beaufort Insider’s FOIA does nothing to answer questions that have been raised or bring clarity to reasons for the use of force seen in the video. On December 30, 2024, Beaufort Insider received this letter from the PD stating that they were only releasing the “initial narrative” in response to our FOIA and would not be releasing anything else because the “case has yet to be adjudicated”. The public’s demands for the Beaufort PD to release body cam footage and be transparent about the incident seem to have fallen on deaf ears.
The abbreviated report the PD sent in response to Beaufort Insider’s FOIA gives little new information. It states that there were seven officers involved in the incident, six Beaufort PD officers and one Beaufort County Sheriff’s deputy. The report also states that the charges made against the four people who were arrested include traffic offense, driving under the influence, simple assault, disorderly conduct, and resisting arrest. There is also a short narrative included that includes the same information the PD released on Facebook.
According to Beaufort Insider’s sources, here is what happened: A car was pulled over for suspicion of DUI. There were two males in the vehicle. The driver was assessed and arrested for DUI and resisting arrest. While this arrest was being conducted a tow truck arrived for the vehicle, but the female owner of the vehicle also arrived in a second car with a female passenger to retrieve the car that was originally pulled over. The owner of the first vehicle was told by officers to talk to the tow truck driver about the status of her car. She did but was angry and assaulted the tow truck driver. She snatched the keys away from him and then ran back to her car and attempted to leave the scene. During this incident with the tow truck driver, the passenger from the first vehicle became irate and threatened the tow truck driver as well. He was arrested for disorderly conduct and resisting the officers’ attempt to detain him. Meanwhile, other officers attempted to detain the female owner of the vehicle who had assaulted the tow truck driver, but she was already back in the vehicle she drove to the scene. When she did not comply, they pulled her out of the vehicle and arrested her for simple assault. The female passenger began to video the incident with her phone, got out of the car and approached officers as they were handcuffing the woman who was pulled from the vehicle. She moved back when told to do so but continued to stay in a position where she could video the incident. She was subsequently arrested for interfering.
With the lack of transparency from the Beaufort PD it is difficult to know for sure what happened or if the officers actions were justified. Beaufort Insider will continue to follow the story and provide updates as they become available.
Hear more about this story and others on this week’s episode of Beaufort Voice, a podcast brought to you by Beaufort Insider.
