Assault sends Horry County officer, suspect to hospital

An Horry County Police officer attempted to stop a Little River man, who police said had an outstanding arrest warrant, before the suspect took off running from police early Monday morning.

Officer Charles Dean attempted to arrest Krishmer Shamar Bessent, 30, just past midnight Monday as Dean saw Bessent walking down Bellamy Road.

Dean was preparing a case file on Bessent from a DUI charge the officer levied against him in March when he ran Bessent’s driver’s license number through dispatch for a criminal history check, according to a police report.

County dispatchers informed Dean that Bessent was wanted on an assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature warrant.

Dean left the precinct office, and drove by Bessent’s Bellamy Drive home, to locate him, but did not see his car at home, according to Dean’s report.

Police said Dean left Bellamy Drive and headed to a bar the officer said he knew Bessent frequented.

Dean reported that he left the bar and headed back down Bellamy Drive and spotted Bessent walking down the road.

The officer made a u-turn and ordered Bessent to place his hands on the patrol car, according to the police report.

The report states that Bessent started resisting and trying to elbow the officer while officer Dean continued working to place Bessent under arrest.

Dean pulled his taser and tried to use it on Bessent, but the taser “failed to deploy,” according to Dean.

Bessent continued trying to grab the officer’s taser before both men fell into a ditch, knocking the taser out of Dean’s hand, according to the report.

Bessent and Dean continued wresting over the taser before Bessent got a hand on the taser and fired it, driving the prongs into the ground, according to Dean’s report.

The officer hit Bessent in the face “multiple times,” because Dean reported the situation, “put me in fear for my life.”

Bessent told a county magistrate at his bond hearing Monday, “I didn’t assault him, he assaulted me.”

On March 17, Dean arrested Bessent and charged him with driving under the influence, according to court records.

Bessent is free on bond on the DUI charge and has requested a jury trial in the case.

Medics took Bessent and Dean to the Seacoast emergency room with injuries following the fight Monday.

Dean was treated for a black eye and a wrist injury.

Bessent was treated and released from the hospital Monday afternoon and booked in the J. Reuben Long Detention Center.

Bessent faces an assault on a police officer while resisting arrest charge.

A county magistrate set Bessent’s bond at $10,000 on the charge Monday afternoon.

Bessent remains jailed without bond on the assault and battery charge.