A North Charleston police officer was driving nearly 90 mph with no patrol lights or siren on when he slammed into the back of Bruce Watson III's Ford Focus in September 2024, leaving Watson with injuries his attorney says he is still being treated for more than two years later. Watson has now sued the city, and North Charleston has denied nearly all of the allegations.
A Mile Covered in About a Minute
According to the Post and Courier, Watson was driving on Saul White Boulevard on Sept. 7, 2024, and turned right onto West Montague Avenue toward Interstate 26 after waiting at a stop sign. Officer Edward Jackson struck the back of Watson's car at 87 mph in a 40-mph zone, and the newspaper reports it took Jackson around a minute to cover a mile near Tanger Outlets before the crash. Jackson briefly slowed at two intersections as the lights there shifted from yellow to red, but sped through both without activating his blue lights.
The collision rendered both vehicles inoperable. Watson's Ford Focus was totaled, sustaining $10,000 in damage, while the department's 2021 Dodge Charger that Jackson was driving sustained $15,000 in damage, according to an NCPD report cited by the newspaper's report. Jackson was reportedly not visibly injured, per NCPD and Highway Patrol reports, but Watson is still undergoing surgeries and treatment for complications from his injuries more than two years after the wreck, his attorney says.
Responding to an Alarm, Without Emergency Equipment On
Jackson was responding to an open-door call at a nearby business after a security alarm sounded, according to Major M.W. Aiken II. North Charleston officers typically respond to those calls in additional units to check unsecured entrances for trespassers or possible crimes, Aiken said. But the officer drove without any emergency lights or siren activated, per the NCPD report referenced by the Post and Courier.
NCPD Sgt. Michael Cook wrote that the collision might not have occurred had Jackson obeyed the speed limit or turned on his emergency equipment. Lt. Jeremy Dalton added that drivers do not expect a dark, unmarked-looking vehicle to approach at that speed, which is precisely why emergency lights exist in the first place.
Internal Investigation and Discipline
NCPD's internal investigation found that Jackson violated department policy relating to vehicle pursuits and operations, including the duty to drive with due regard for safety, and that he engaged in unbecoming conduct under department rules. He was punished with a written letter of reprimand. Remedial driver training was recommended at the conclusion of the investigation, but Jackson was not ordered to attend it, Aiken said.
Jackson, who was hired by NCPD in July 2023, had his first at-fault collision in this crash, according to Aiken, and he has no disciplinary record filed with the S.C. Criminal Justice Academy. Supervisors discuss department expectations with officers after a reprimand is issued and are expected to monitor their subsequent conduct, per Aiken. As of Oct. 29, Jackson has not received any additional complaints or been involved in any additional vehicle collisions, and he remains a North Charleston police officer.
Lawsuit Alleges Negligent, Reckless Driving
Watson filed his lawsuit on Aug. 24, alleging Jackson was driving his patrol vehicle negligently and recklessly. On Oct. 22, legal counsel for North Charleston denied nearly all of the allegations raised in the complaint. The North Charleston Police Department declined to comment on the pending litigation.
Watson's attorney, George Jebaily, provided the newspaper with nearly 30 minutes of police-car dashboard video and said the case amounts to a safety concern for the public as well as a matter of justice for his client. Jebaily said he hopes the lawsuit encourages accountability at NCPD, calling the evidence overwhelming and saying he expects it to persuade a jury. He also warned that the crash could have been fatal. Watson is seeking compensation for bodily injury and property damage.
What State Law Says About Emergency Vehicles
Under South Carolina law, vehicles used for police purposes are classified as emergency vehicles and must be equipped with red or blue lights, or a combination of them, along with sirens. A separate provision in the South Carolina Code of Laws states that exemptions for authorized emergency vehicles apply only when the vehicle is using both an audible signal and visual signals meeting statutory requirements, subject to listed exceptions for police vehicles.
The North Charleston case is one of several recent Lowcountry disputes over how local police use their vehicles. Hoodline has reported on a separate lawsuit filed by a mother after a 100-mph police chase killed her son and two others on Hungryneck Boulevard. Watson's case remains pending, with no verified outcome yet reported.
