Solicitor Wilson announces indictments against former sheriff Wayne Dewitt

BERKELEY COUNTY, S.C.–Ninth Circuit Solicitor Scarlett A. Wilson announced that earlier today, the Berkeley County Grand Jury indicted H. Wayne Dewitt on three charges.

The indictments are for driving under the influence, leaving the scene of an accident and failure to stop for blue lights. The potential penalties for these crimes are as follows:

Driving Under the Influence: $400 or not less than 48 hours nor more than 30 days; in lieu of the 48 hour minimum imprisonment, the court may provide for 48 hours of public service employment;

Leaving the Scene of an Accident: not more than 1 year or fined not less than $100 nor more than $5,000, or both; and

Failure to Stop for Blue Light: not less than $500 or 90 days to 3 years.

Dewitt originally was ticketed by the South Carolina Highway Patrol for leaving the scene of an accident resulting in personal injury.

According to Wilson, after a review of statements made at the scene of the accident on the morning of December 28, 2014, the Berkeley County EMS Patient Care Report, the victim’s hospital discharge information and after consulting with the victim and the arresting Highway Patrol officer, all agreed that a charge for Leaving the Scene of an Accident resulting in damage to an attended vehicle best fit the facts and evidence in this case. (The change in the charge does not affect the cumulative penalty exposure Dewitt faces.)

“As a lawyer and prosecutor, I am subject to special rules which limit my ability to make public comments about pending cases and defendants in criminal matters,” explained Wilson. “For these reasons, my office will not be commenting on the merits of the charges against Mr. Dewitt. The Rules also require that I remind the public that Mr. Dewitt is presumed innocent unless and until he is proven guilty.”

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Natalie Vereen-Davis

A native of Mount Pleasant, Natalie attended Bishop England High School (Go Bishops!) before heading off to Clemson University, where she graduated magna cum laude with a B.A. in English. She went on to earn an M.A. in British Literature from the University of South Carolina.

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