A Ridgeland man was charged with driving under the influence in a crash that killed a Beaufort woman walking in Shell Point, according to warrants.
The S.C. Highway Patrol on Monday charged Clinton Brown, 35, with one count of DUI resulting in death and one count of hit and run involving death, according to arrest warrants filed in court on Tuesday.
The warrants said Brown returned to the scene an hour later. A field sobriety test was administered and revealed he was under the influence. He was then arrested on a prior charge of driving on a suspended license, the warrants said.
Both driving away from a collision and DUI that result in death are felonies. Each carry a mandatory sentence of at least one year in prison and up to 25 years, according to S.C. law.
Court records show Brown’s bond has not yet been set, and jail records show he is detained at the Beaufort County Detention Center.
When we publish mugshots
The Island Packet and Beaufort Gazette publishes police booking photos, or mugshots, in the following instances:
In situations where a public figure or someone in a position of public trust is arrested
In cases where there is an immediate and widespread threat to public safety
In cases where the arrested person is accused of a crime reporters have evidence to believe involved numerous, unknown victims
Reporters will avoid using mugshots as lead images for online articles in order to limit their circulation on social media, except in cases where the public is served by the immediate identification of the accused. Reporters and editors may use discretion in situations that don’t meet the criteria outlined in this policy but still present a compelling reason to publish a mugshot.
Jake Shore is a senior writer covering breaking news for The Island Packet and Beaufort Gazette. He reports on criminal justice, police, and the courts system in Beaufort and Jasper Counties. Jake originally comes from sunny California and attended school at Fordham University in New York City. In 2020, Jake won a first place award for beat reporting on the police from the South Carolina Press Association.
