Dozens of Beaufort County deputies and officers have been quarantined since COVID start

Four Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office deputies were released from a two-day quarantine Thursday after possibly being exposed to coronavirus during a vehicle pursuit that resulted in a crash and foot chase.

They are among the 25 deputies and police officers across Beaufort County who have been quarantined since COVID-19 was declared a pandemic March 11.

The deputies were released after the suspect’s test results were completed Thursday morning and showed he did not have the virus, a Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office press release says.

The deputies were not tested.

Sheriff’s Office Maj. Bob Bromage said the quarantine didn’t affect staffing.

“Our staff is full,” he said. “It has not impacted our response to public safety.”

COVID-19 quarantines

The Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office has seen a total of eight deputies tested because they had coronavirus-type symptoms and another eight quarantined without testing because of possible exposure from people they came in contact with.

All of the deputies tested negative as did the subjects they interacted with.

The Island Packet and Beaufort Gazette previously reported the Port Royal Police Department had one officer quarantined after coming in contact with a nurse during a DUI stop in March.

Port Royal PD Maj. Ron Wekenmann said the officer and three others have been tested for coronavirus since the start of the pandemic. All of the tests were negative, he said.

Four Beaufort Police Department officers were quarantined after possible exposure at the beginning of April but not tested, Capt. George Erdel said Thursday.

He said the officers were considered low risk and testing was not needed.

One Bluffton Police Department officer was tested for coronavirus, Capt. Joe Babkiewicz said. He said test results were negative.

“We’ve been pretty fortunate,” Babkiewicz said.

Babkiewicz said Bluffton PD officials have been talking with other departments across the country to figure out best practices.

He said those discussions include responding to calls over the phone if possible and using personal protective equipment such as masks and gloves.

S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control has recommended that first responders such as police, fire and EMS workers be considered priorities for virus testing.

For residents, testing results have taken up to two weeks in the state and county since the pandemic started.

DHEC says on its website that the “current timeframe” for test results is between 24 to 48 hours for the general public.

Car chases

On Tuesday, the suspect told police that a person he was closely associated with had tested positive for the virus.

He was booked in Beaufort County Detention Center Tuesday for possession of a stolen motor vehicle, resisting arrest, unlawful carrying of a handgun and possession of a firearm by a felon.

It was one of two pursuits deputies engaged in Tuesday. Both chases involved vehicles matching the description of two cars stolen from a Lady’s Island home on April 21.

Deputies automatically worked under the assumption that suspects in the second pursuit could have been exposed to coronavirus and took extra precautions.

None of the deputies involved in the second pursuit were quarantined.

The first vehicle pursuit happened when deputies spotted a brown Honda Civic Tuesday morning on Sea Island Parkway near the Chowan Creek Bridge.

A traffic stop was attempted near Tiger Express on Sea Island Parkway after confirmation was received that the vehicle was stolen.

The Honda sped up and ultimately lost control, striking a tree a few miles away at the intersection of Sea Island Parkway and Ball Park Road.

The driver then ran away and actively resisted arrested once caught by deputies.

The second vehicle pursuit started when deputies spotted a white Mercedes they confirmed was stolen on Sea Island Parkway.

The driver also attempted to escape when deputies tried to stop the vehicle.

After losing sight of the vehicle, deputies found it a short time later on Faculty Drive.

All three subjects — two males and one female — were seen running from the vehicle toward a wooded area.

The three individuals were apprehended with the help of a K-9 unit, allowing deputies time to put on personal protective equipment.

Bromage said the Sheriff’s Office determined the deputies involved in the second chase didn’t need to be quarantined because of the use of PPE and less contact.

At this time no deputies or officers are under quarantine in Beaufort County, according to representatives with each of the departments.

The South Carolina Highway Patrol has had no positive cases of COVID-19, according to Patrol spokeswoman Sherri Iacobelli.

Ten troopers who were potentially exposed to the virus on-duty self-quarantined out of an abundance of caution, she said in an email Thursday. All of them are back at work, she said.

She said two troopers currently in quarantine are expected to return to work Friday.

This story was originally published April 30, 2020 at 3:52 PM.