Jasper County is worried about their image. I know when I see some kids “bustin’ sag” (as we called it in HS back in 93-97, and no, I didn’t partake) I immediately think of Jasper County and their image. Read all about it here. And you’d like to think that even county legislatures have better things to do. And isn’t Jasper County like rural as all hell? Won’t this rule affect what, 30 people?

All photographic caption errors aside, the C-17 Globemaster III has been at Charleston AFB for 15 years today. I first started working on the C-17 in November 1997 until January 2000, and then flew on them from then until Summer 2003. Good jet, many fond memories. Read about it here.

And this makes me chuckle.. a gas station in Mt. Pretentious cans the clerk for having too much money in the till one day after being robbed.   Now, I wonder – why would he have $300 in the till when he was only supposed to have $50 and then was coincidentally robbed the same day? Discuss. (see P&C story here)

MONCKS CORNER ” A Goose Creek man was sentenced to eight years in prison for leaving the scene of a crash that killed off-duty Berkeley County Deputy Dawn Tillman last year.
Michael Murray, 34, pleaded guilty Wednesday to charges that he left the scene of a wreck involving a death and being a habitual offender. He was driving with a suspended license April 15 when he fell asleep at the wheel of a minivan that crossed the center line of North Rhett Extension.

The minivan grazed a car and then struck Tillman’s Mustang. She died April 17.

Murray, who fled the scene in a pickup, told the court that he had to drive under suspension to support his family. “I’m not a criminal. I’m not a monster,” he said. “I fell asleep at the wheel.”

Whatever. You’re a dirtbag. You knew better. You knew you were suspended. You knew you shouldn’t have been driving. And that’s exactly why you left the scene. You knew you had to have injured someone greatly. Scum.

Friends, family and fellow deputies told Circuit Judge James Williams about the 37-year-old deputy who touched so many lives.

“Not only did I lose a cousin who was almost a sister to me, but I did lose a sister in law enforcement,” said Berkeley County sheriff’s Sgt. Mark Tillman.

John “Roy” Tillman IV said he was horrified April 15 when he picked up the phone that morning expecting to hear his sister’s voice on the phone, but instead heard that of Mark Tillman’s, explaining what happened.

Roy Tillman said his sister had taken her first vacation day off in three years as a deputy to prepare for a weeklong trip. He told the court he hopes no one else will have to stand vigil for their loved one for three days, waiting to find out if they will live or die. He said he hopes no one else will have to make the decision, like he had, to end the life support.

He and others asked Williams to impose the maximum sentence of 30 years. “I’m glad you’ll have no where to run to now,” said Anita Davis, Tillman’s best friend.

Dawn and I both started at Berkeley County’s dispatch center. A little less than a year into it, she went to the Sheriff’s Office to be a deputy. Shortly afterwards I left Berkeley County for my current employer. She was a lot of fun at Central. When we were in training we used to go to lunch together (the paltry 20 minutes that we got).

Murray’s license was suspended in 2006 until 2011 for being a habitual offender. He said he drove while suspended because, without transportation, he wouldn’t be able to work as much as 70 hours a week to support his family.

Public Defender Patricia Kennedy said he was helping to support nine children. Murray said it was particularly difficult at the time because his wife was pregnant and couldn’t work. He said he left because he didn’t know someone was seriously hurt.

“I’m nowhere near what people made me out to be,” he said.

NINE kids? One would think that if your license was suspended you should stop squirting out kids. Maybe you should have thought about that before you became such a poor driver that your license got suspended to the point you are deemed a habitual offender. Dirtbag.

Williams offered his condolences to the family but said he had to take into account all of the facts. Murray only would have had a maximum of five years to serve had he remained on the scene, and there’s likely nothing he could have done anyway, he said.

Murray will get credit for a year served in jail. He will be eligible for parole in a little over 5 1/2 years, which means he could be out by 2013.

Roy Tillman said he should have received more time.

“I don’t think it was enough,” he said.

I agree. Not enough. He knew he shouldn’t have been on the road. He knew he shouldn’t have left the scene of the accident, and he did both anyways. Rot in jail.

Memorial Page for Summerville Police Department Officer Bell

Memorial Page for Berkeley County S.O. Deputy Wright

Join me in opposing Brian Nelson’s parole every year. Keep this person who had little respect for the lives of others, not just the police officers he killed, but everyone else on the road, in jail. He knowingly drove under the influence of medication and with a medical condition that suspended his DL in the first place. Visit SC Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon’s website at this link: Oppose Parole. You’ll need his name: Brian Nelson and his SCDC number: 00292367 .

“We’re sorry for your wait, but please take this moment to think about your defensive driving techniques, driving is the most dangerous thing you do every day”

Just some food for thought!   (PS – I don’t worry about my driving… it’s everyone else out there I worry about (hitting me)).