A South Carolina LEO's Blog

Troopers said that the deputy fell asleep at about 5 a.m. Tuesday. He ran through a stop sign and ended up in a ditch near the intersection of Riddle and Sexton Gin roads in the Iva area.

The deputy was not injured. It was not immediately clear if the deputy was on duty at the time of the crash.

The Anderson County Sheriff's Office investigators said that they will look at the Highway Patrol's report before determining if any action will be taken against the deputy.

The program is called the "Summer of Silence." It will be put into action by a team comprised of the U.S. Attorney's Office and the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms, put together by Solicitor Trey Gowdy.

Acting U.S. Attorney Kevin McDonald said, "This is the first time a local solicitor has taken it upon himself to formalize that relationship."

The team will be going after anyone in the county who is caught with a gun but shouldn't have one. That includes convicted felons, those engaged in drug crimes, addicts or those using a controlled substance and anyone convicted of domestic violence or who is subject to a restraining order.

McDonald said, "These individuals -- I can promise you -- will be dealt with."

Each case will be screened to see if it can be tried in federal court, where cases move quicker and bon amounts and penalties are higher.

Officials say they already have evidence that the program is working after a Wellford officer pulled over a man who had a gun in his possession.

ATF agent C.J. Hyman said, "That individual last month was indicted in federal court for possession of drugs, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and he probably will be (sentenced to) at least 10 or 15 years."

Officials said if that man had been tried at the state level, the penalty wouldn't have been as stiff.

Hyman said, "We hope this summer will be a quieter one in Spartanburg."

The alleged victim, Stephen Smith, 20, told police that he was at the Denny's restaurant on Clemson Boulevard, when he got into a conflict with another man.

Smith said the other man, William Taylor, 23, was hitting on Smith's sister. Smith said he told Taylor to leave his sister alone. The men began to argue, and the conflict continued out into the parking lot.

Smith said Taylor would not listen to him, and Taylor became more upset. He said Taylor then walked to his car and took out a vest that had a security enforcement badge on it. Smith said Taylor claimed to be a law enforcement officer and he told Smith he was under arrest.

Smith said Taylor threatened him with pepper spray, made him turn around, handcuffed him and forced him to sit on the curb.

Witnesses said that during the time that Smith was left handcuffed on the curb, Taylor harassed the women who were with him, saying they should "say goodbye" to Smith because he was going to jail.

Anderson police officers arrived at the Denny's, and after talking to witnesses, they arrested Taylor. He is charged with impersonating a police officer. He was released on bond.

Anderson Police Chief Marty Brown will announce the charges on Tuesday.

Officer David Fikes was shot twice in the upper arm. Two other shots were deflected by his bullet-proof vest. Fikes credits his body armor with saving his life.

Fikes had been a police officer for less than a year when he responded to the report of a robbery at Churchill's Pub on Highway 81. The robber held the bartender and some customers hostage during the robbery. The customers were tied up with rope, but one was able to get free and called 911.

Fikes confronted the robber behind the pub. During a struggle with Fikes, the robber fired his weapon.

The news conference where to announce the charges will be held at 10 a.m.