South Carolina Mayor Killed in Car Crash Days After Resignation of Town’s Entire Police Department

Police tape in a file photo. Mark Makela/Getty Images

The mayor of a South Carolina town died in a car crash on Tuesday just days after the resignation of the town’s entire police department.

McColl Mayor George Garner II, 49, was killed in a head-on collision with a truck on Highway 34 in Mechanicsville, South Carolina, around 2:40 p.m., according to a statement posted on Facebook by Darlington County Coroner J. Todd Hardee on Wednesday.

Garner was driving westbound in a 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe when he veered into the eastbound lane and collided head-on with an 18-wheeler, Hardee told WBTW News13.

South Carolina Highway Patrol Lance Cpl. Lena Butler told WBTW News13 that the truck driver was also injured and that Garner died at McLeod Regional Medical Center from injuries sustained in the wreck.

At the time of the incident, Garner was being pursued by a Marlboro County deputy, Hardee wrote in the statement.

“The pursuit was not related to any laws being broken,” Hardee wrote. “The pursuit was taking place in an effort to protect the well being of Mr. Garner.”

Garner was recently reelected as mayor of McColl, a town of around 2,300 people in Marlboro County, South Carolina.

Hardee said he will make a ruling on the manner of death in the coming days. Darlington County Sheriff James Hudson Jr. told WBTW News13 that the South Carolina Highway Patrol’s multidisciplinary accident team, or MAIT unit, is investigating the incident.

On Tuesday, the neighboring town of Clio created a post on Facebook sharing their condolences with the McColl community and the Garner family.

“The Town of Clio would like to extend our Prayers to the Town of McColl, the Garner Family, and it’s citizens,” the statement read. “We pray that God will provide peace & understanding in the days to come. Small towns have big hearts and will rally together in the midst of trials. May God bless McColl.”

Brian Blue, a councilman for the town of McColl, shared a Facebook post on Wednesday with a photo of himself and Garner along with a message.

“You will be missed my friend. You did your best as the Mayor of McColl. Please keep his family in prayer. Love you my brother,” Blue wrote.

A post on the town of McColl’s Facebook page stated on Wednesday that a visitation for Garner’s funeral will be held on Dec. 2 from 6 to 8 p.m. at McColl Church of God, with a funeral service the next day at 2 p.m.

McColl Police Department Resigns

Last week, McColl’s police chief Bob Hale and four other law enforcement officials resigned. Hale released a statement on Nov. 22 on Facebook, attributing his resignation to alleged repeated harassment, personal attacks, and the “overall creation of a hostile work environment” by an unnamed town councilman.

The former police chief claimed that it was the “toxic atmosphere that has hindered the department’s ability to function effectively.”

NTD News reached out to the town’s council members but did not receive a response before this article was published.

Hale also claimed in the statement that a “significant amount of money” had been cut from the police department’s budget.

One council member, Harry L. Benjamin Jr., told News13 that he didn’t know what had led to the resignations. He said he had read Hale’s Facebook post but didn’t know which council member Hale was referring to.

Benjamin also responded to Hale’s comments about the budget, saying the town council makes decisions as a whole, as opposed to one council member making decisions. He added that he wished Hale the best.

The town of McColl’s Facebook account posted on Tuesday that the Marlboro County Sheriff’s Department will provide 24-hour law enforcement coverage to the town and will answer any calls from McColl citizens.

NTD contacted the South Carolina Sheriff’s Association for comment regarding Mayor Garner’s death but did not receive a response by the time this article was published.

From NTD News