Ex-SC trooper gets probation in I-95 kicking incident
Published: June 23, 2009
Updated: June 23, 2009
CHARLESTON — A former South Carolina trooper caught on video kicking a suspect in the head after a highway chase has been sentenced to three years probation. John B. Sawyer must serve a year and a day of that in a halfway house.
Sawyer, who tearfully apologized, was sentenced Tuesday by Chief U.S. District Judge David Norton in Charleston. He pleaded guilty Jan. 5 to violating Sergio Caridi’s civil rights and faced up to 10 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000, although federal guidelines recommend he serve less than two years.
Sawyer, 34, was indicted July 17 after the state released a video that showed him kicking Caridi in the head several times during the May 2006 incident on Interstate 95. Law enforcement personnel, a doctor and a minister told Norton the officer on the tape was not the Sawyer they knew. The year-and-a-day in a halfway house means Sawyer is eligible for good time, meaning he might only have to serve 85 percent of the term.
Caridi, of Catskill, N.Y., had led troopers and sheriff’s deputies on a 30-mile chase that happened about 10:30 a.m. May 28, 2006, on Interstate 95 in a dump truck.
The chase began after Latta police clocked Caridi driving 65 mph in a 25 mph zone and got on I-95 at mile marker 181, S.C. Department of Public Safety spokesman Sid Gaulden said in an interview with the Morning News two days after Caridi’s arrest. Dillon and Florence county sheriff’s deputies and troopers soon joined the chase.
After Caridi sideswiped a trooper’s vehicle, officers shot out several of the truck’s tires and hit its diesel fuel tank. Gaulden said the chase lasted about five more miles before the truck came to a stop when it ran of out fuel at mile marker 143 in Sumter County.
In the video, Caridi got out of the vehicle with his hands up and got on the ground before Sawyer kicked him in the head.
Caridi appeared to try to get up off the ground, and Sawyer kicked him again. Another officer uses a Taser on Caridi, who was subsequently handcuffed and taken to the Florence County Detention Center in Effingham, according to disciplinary records.
“The driver got out of his vehicle on his hands and knees but would not listen to commands because he kept getting up,” Sawyer wrote in a report about the incident. “I attempted to keep him on the ground by hitting his arms with my leg but he continued.”
Caridi was charged with first-offense driving under the influence, assault and battery with intent to kill, resisting arrest, failure to stop for a blue light and first-offense driving without a license, booking reports show.
In a report filed several days after the incident, 12th Circuit Solicitor Ed Clements III wrote the troopers’ actions were justified, “with the exception of the officer who repeatedly kicked the individual after he got out of the truck,” recommending that Sawyer remain on leave while the patrol continued its review.
Sawyer, who started work as a trooper in May 2000, was placed on administrative leave afterward. He resigned several months later, becoming a deputy for the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, according to disciplinary records.
Sawyer’s lawyer says he should not be sent to prison because widespread publicity and the fact Sawyer is a former law officer would make him a target of other inmates in prison.
Sawyer also suffers from diabetes. His attorneys say the disease should be taken into account in his sentencing because it may have impaired his judgment during the chase. Sawyer suffered diabetic reactions just before and after the pursuit and had just injected himself with insulin when the chase began, O’Leary wrote.
Sawyer’s sentencing will mark the conclusion of an investigation into the Patrol that began last year when videos showing troopers acting aggressively were made public in response to media requests. The chiefs of the Highway Patrol and Public Safety resigned amid criticism from black lawmakers, and three troopers taped while hitting suspects have faced felony civil rights charges.
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Reader Reactions
The bible says, let he who is without sin cast the first stone. Let me be the calming voice in this dispute. 1.) Of course this officer was wrong for kicking the man. What we do about his wrong decision is what matters. Everyone of us makes mistakes every single day. I can only imagine what kind of adrinelan was flowing. He is an officer of the law protecting you and I from dangerous people just like this. We have become so liberal minded towards criminals, that they seem to have more rights than we do? Do you want an officer protecting you, that has to worry more about protecting himself from lawsuits, and prosecution? 2.) How do you react when someone is trying to potentially harm you, and your friends? 3.) The ACLU and NAACP are not friendly or beneficial organizations. Any organization that does not support all people(races) should be against the law. Hate is hate. Favortism is favortism. It doesn’t matter how you twist it or turn it to suit yourself and your views. Hope all of you writing have a blessed day, and start thinking about others, praying for others, and putting yourself in thier shoes before you start casting stones.
For those of you arguing back and forth, get a grip. This is America and it’s ok for different people to have different feelings about the subject. I personally feel like the trooper was dead wrong for kicking the suspect in the head numerous times. There is nothing that can be said to justify that behavior. The criminal had clearly been subdued already. But on the upside, at least he is being punished for his behavior. He shouldn’t be burned at the stakes for this. People do make mistakes.
THIS GOES ON AND ON AND FIRES EMOTIONS ON BOTH SIDES. THE ANGER SPARKED BY THIS AMAZES ME WHEN WE ARE TALKING ABOUT AN EX-TROOPER. THIS MAN DID WRONG WHEN HE WAS FACED WITH WHAT MOST OF US CANNOT IMAGINE, AND THIS WILL BE WITH HIM FOR THE REST OF HIS LIFE. I PRAY THAT HE WILL TURN THIS INTO SOME KIND OF USEFUL GOOD. I WISH THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT COULD TALK ABOUT WHAT THEY DAILY EXPERIENCE ON THE JOB BECAUSE THAT WOULD PROBABLY HELP THEM A LOT. WHO HAS PERFECT JUDGMENT 24/7? SOME OF YOU HOTHEADS WHO ARE SO QUICK TO JUDGE THE TROOPER, PROBABLY ARE HOTHEADS AT HOME, TOO. THE JUSTICE SYSTEM IS DOING ITS JOB. I PRAY FOR OUR PUBLIC SERVANTS BECAUSE THEY HAVE A HUGE JOB TO DO, ESPECIALLY WITH THE KIND OF PEOPLE WHO DO NOT STOP WHEN AN OFFICER ORDERS HIM TO DO SO. A 30 MILE CHASE, WITH ALL THE DESTRUCTION THAT ENSUED, IS NOT COMPLIANCE, EVEN IF HE GETS OUT WITH HIS HANDS UP, BECAUSE HE OBVIOUSLY CANNOT BE TRUSTED. HE WAS THE DANGER FROM THE GET-GO.
A lot of comments are made ridiculing the officers in this case and some people offer missleading information about the local police forces, that they cannot prove. While I think the local law enforcment around here needs alot of improvement, I also dont think they should be crucified for the 15 second action of 1 officer. And I dont think judgement should be made on any body, police officer or Joe Blow on the street, for a 15 second clip of car chase that went on for over 30 miles. This drunken fool stole a dump truck and led police on a high speed chase, crashing into everything he could, including police cars. Now which one of you are not going to have your adrenaline rushing, and feel a whole lot of anger, if you are in the car that is getting banged into on the freeway. and just because you do, it does not mean you are a bad person at home. Now I would also like to know which one of you brave souls, doing all the complaining, are going to go out there and risk your life to help your fellow human.
And peachtree, get some help.
Unfortunately this is the veiw of officers I was caused to have; within a short 3 year period all my respect and good veiws of officers was destroyed and a bad picture painted. I am working on that.
It always makes me wonder when we see these clips (which I did not rewatch here)if they carry this behavior home.
Note: I do not know this officer nor suspect.
The adrenaline rush someone mentioned; if they have those at work and can’t control them, what is going to make them control it in their personal life. Diabetes DID NOT make him do it! People were shocked by his behavior, that is only because, you usually do not know that side of a person. Some people can hide that side, some do have control over it.
Believe me I know the adrenaline rush, when you deal with people such as this, it messes with your health and through experience I will say, You can handle adrelaline rushes, it may be painful for some but it can be done!
I guess this officer was crying, he is paying a penalty for what others do and get away with.
There is proper behavior in every situation, we don’t always make the right choices and his was wrong, it was caught on camera.
I am the one who stated long ago that when an officer is on duty a camera needs to be running every second. For the officers protection and the publics protection. It goes both ways.
Once again simpleton, check your facts. The officer left town after he shot the guy and was in Nevada before an arrest warrant was issued. This article is about the actions of the police and not rioters, victims, etc. Keep up
Peachtree Cool your Jets, lets get something straight, You are the one that said the pressure came from the public. I just stated how some of the Public applied the pressure, not by holding a peacfull rally or writing their congressman, but by the delebrate act of violence. against a City and a police force That wasnt even involved in the incedent. Now as for the Officer envolved in The incedent at the BART Station. Like I said he has been arrested and he will stand Trial, He has not been slapped on the wrist. His journey through the court system has just started and he is faceing life in prison. In the meantime his family who had absolutly nothing to do with this, have recieved death threats, so yes he moved his family, they are in hiding for there own safety, But they are still in the general area and the courts and Law enforcement know exactally where he is.
As for me making my statement about the ACLU and the NAACP, when have you ever heard of either one of these organizations ever standing up for the right of the commen citizen who was carjacked or had their home invaded or their business looted and burned to the ground?
So before you start calling anybody a SIMPLETON, I would suggest that you pull your head out of your A** and get your facts straight.
I’m really not surprised at what happened to the suspect here. For some reason, officers are apparently trained to abuse suspects during these types of incidents. I’ve read several stories about similar incidents over the last couple years. Of course the suspect was clearly in the wrong and deserves punishment. Just a couple weeks ago, someone I know personally had an o/s warrant on him for some type of assault. The incident happened a couple months ago and he had been trying to find out if charges had been pressed. No contact was ever made w/ him from FCSO. Then, out of the blue, they come the residence where he lives w/ a family friend. No one was home. They busted yard lights; busted in the home; broke into a safe and destroyed the entire house. The owner of the house showed up during all of this and they told him they were looking for the suspect. He said, you all haven’t tried contacting him b/c he would be glad to turn himself in. He called the suspect to the home and when he arrived 5 min later and gets out of his vehicle w/ his hands in the air, they ambush him screaming get on the ground. They kneed him in the back and knocked him around and cursing him telling him they should beat his a** right now! I think all of that was absolutely uncalled for and they aren’t gonna replace anything that they broke at this man’s home. And really, was this necessary? No one was running, fighting, or disputing them or their claims. I think they do what they wanna do b/c they can, and personally I’m pleased that finally one of these officers are being held responsible for his actions.
Here you go talking about the ACLU and NAACP. I knew it wouldn’t be long before we get to the real issues rubbing people the wrong way. But I will stay on topic. Check your facts, the pressure didn’t come from rioters, it came from the media and politicians. And my point was that the officer left town without as much as a slap on the wrist. The simple fact, simpleton, is that he was an officer and was sworn to uphold the law. I believe that he didn’t shoot the man intentionally, but the fact is that they had to be prodded to arrest the officer. You can’t expect officers to arrest their own. If it wasn’t for Federal laws, they would be able to kick anyone’s head in without recourse.
What the Officer did was wrong, and some sort of repremand should be handed out. It is hard to understand the adrinelan rush that a person gets in these events, unless you have actually been through it. and sometimes it is very hard to control your emotions. One thing to remember, This Officer has lost his Job and will never be a law enforcement officer again, no matter how good he was, except for this one mistake. The A**hole he kicked, was a criminal before and will always be a criminal.
Peachtree the case you talk about in Oakland. The Officer in that case has been charged and is awaiting Trial, and I believe the charge is murder. The public pressure you are talking about was a riot in Oakland, were a few thousand people got together and decided to destroy cars and buildings and loot everything that wasnt tied down. One of The problems with this is that the Officer involved worked for The Bay Area Rapid Transet District, He was not an Oakland Police Officer. Also Police Officers are disiplined and charged with crimes all the time, It usually doesnt make national news, unless someone dies, or some bleeding heart orginazation like the ACLU or the NAACP wants to get a little press time and raise some funds.
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