Sheriff says officers had no choice

While details of the early Saturday morning tragedy on Pleasant School Road are still being sorted out, Cherokee County Sheriff Bill Blanton was sure about several things.

There was no question in his mind that the officers involved, faced with a extremely challenging and deadly situation, acted appropriately.

And he was sure that the incident would become a lesson for police officers for years to come.

Cherokee County Sheriff's Office deputies were forced to open fire at the 28-year-old driver of a stolen 10- ton front end loader early last Saturday morning, ending a threemile chase that resulted in a damaged police cruiser and the death of an innocent bystander.

James "Cecil" Brogden, a 67-yearold retired major from the Salvation Army, was killed after he stepped out of his son-in-law's home at 973 Pleasant School Road to investigate the commotion going on early Saturday. The driver of the stolen front end loader, Aaron Christopher Saunders, had used the machinery to pick up a car in the driveway and then headed straight for Brogden.

Brogden was struck by the vehicle and later pronounced dead at the scene from the injuries he sustained. Saunders later died at Spartanburg Regional Medical Center from the gunshots that police ultimately used to bring the situation to an end.

Because local officers were involved in a shooting, investigation of the incident was automatically handed over to the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division and there was no immediate word on when SLED would wrap up its probe. The findings from SLED subsequently will be handed over to the 7th Circuit Solicitor's Office for review by Circuit Solicitor Trey Gowdy.

Solicitor's Office spokesman Murray Glenn said it could take a month or two for the findings to be turned over.

Blanton said the two officers who actually fired their weapons during the incident were placed on a short leave and will have counseling made available to them. "We'll give them all the time they need," the sheriff said.

The incident began when Saunders took the massive front end loader from 199 Speedway Road at about 2:30 a.m. Nov. 29, according to a police report that pertained only to the stolen vehicle. The $30,000 piece of equipment is listed in a police report as being owned by Total Inc., Gaults Used Cars.

A short time later, a deputy on patrol came across the front end loader and attempted an unusual traffic stop. During the stop, however, Saunders reportedly started backing the massive piece of machinery into the officer's cruiser. The impact bent the push bar on the front of the cruiser, but the officer was able to back it away before it was completely crushed.

A slow speed chase then ensued on Pleasant School Road as officers, some of them on foot, tried to get Saunders to stop. About six officers from the Sheriff's Office, and two from the South Carolina Highway Patrol, had responded to the scene.

At one point, Saunders reportedly chased one of the officers around a cement block building. And altogether, he reportedly made four or five runs at the pursuing officers during the chase, which traversed about three miles.

Officers tried in vain to shoot out the tires of the front end loader, but no bullets would work on solid rubber.

"The only thing you could do is stop the driver and that's what they did," Blanton said

But even that was difficult, given the height of the front end loader and the darkness. Practically the entire incident was recorded by the video cameras in the responding police cruisers and Blanton said the tapes are already being reviewed by his office, as well as SLED.

But from what he's seen, Blanton said his officers could have done nothing else.

Blanton didn't know why Saunders did what he did, but some things were clear. "There's evidence this guy set out to do harm to someone," the sheriff said. "He was going to hurt someone or die trying. I guess he accomplished both things."