A former Orangeburg Department of Public Safety officer is facing criminal charges after investigators say he punched a handcuffed suspect and slammed the man's head into a brick wall outside the county detention center. Christopher James Tyler, 35, was arrested and charged with assault and battery in the second degree, and reports said he was fired days after being charged.
Spit Triggered A Violent Response, Warrant Says
According to arrest warrant records reviewed by The Post and Courier, the confrontation unfolded on July 25 outside the Orangeburg County Detention Center after the handcuffed arrestee spat in Tyler's face. The warrant states Tyler responded by striking the suspect with a closed fist and slamming the right side of the man's head into a brick wall twice. Investigators noted the encounter was captured on video from multiple angles, and the warrant states Tyler admitted to the conduct during questioning.
As reported by ABC Columbia, SLED investigators said Tyler punched the handcuffed suspect and slammed his head into the wall, leading to the second-degree assault and battery charge. Tyler was booked into the Orangeburg County Detention Center on August 25, and the case has since been turned over to South Carolina's 1st Circuit Solicitor's Office for prosecution, per the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division. That office, led by Solicitor David Pascoe, handles general sessions prosecutions across Orangeburg, Calhoun, and Dorchester counties.
Chief Says Termination Came After State Charges
Orangeburg Department of Public Safety Chief Charles Austin said Tyler was separated from employment days after being charged, according to the same SLED account. Austin, who was appointed chief in June 2022 after serving as interim director since October 2021 and previously served as Columbia's first Black police chief and city manager, said the termination reflected the department's commitment to professionalism and integrity.
In his statement, per ABC Columbia's reporting, Austin said officers with the department are held to high standards and that the agency will take appropriate action whenever those standards are not met. He added that the department is committed to maintaining the trust and confidence of the community it serves and will act in accordance with department policy and the law. The Orangeburg Department of Public Safety operates as a consolidated agency, combining both police and fire protection under a single chief, according to the City of Orangeburg.
Not The Department's First Brush With Excessive Force Allegations
This is not the first time an Orangeburg officer has faced criminal charges tied to force used against a restrained or vulnerable person. In July 2021, SLED investigated then-officer David Lance Dukes, who was fired and charged with first-degree assault and battery after bodycam footage showed him stomping on the head of a physically disabled Black man, according to FITSNews.
What Tyler Could Face In Court
Second-degree assault and battery under South Carolina Code § 16-3-600(D) is a misdemeanor, but it still carries a maximum penalty of up to three years in prison and a fine of up to $2,500, according to a summary from Dayne Phillips Law. The charge applies when unlawful force causes, or could have caused, moderate bodily injury. Separately, state law under S.C. Code § 23-23-150 requires law enforcement executives to report officer misconduct to the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy within 15 days of final internal action, according to the Municipal Association of South Carolina.
As of now, Tyler's case remains an open criminal matter, and the charges against him are allegations that have not been adjudicated in court. The 1st Circuit Solicitor's Office has not announced a court date, and it remains unclear how the case will proceed from here.
