Fake social media post says a Bluffton police officer-involved crash was intentional
A Bluffton police officer-involved crash Saturday afternoon became fodder for misinformation with a fake social media post on Monday that claimed the officer purposefully hit another vehicle.
A screenshot of a social media post purportedly from the Bluffton Police Department claimed an officer took “swift action” to crash into a vehicle that refused to yield. It said the driver was unlikely to “repeat his mistake.” The screenshot was posted after 11 a.m. in the comment section of a department post about teen texting and driving and was taken down, according to the Bluffton’s digital communications manager, Lindsay Housaman.
Just before 1 p.m. Monday, Bluffton Police Department took to its official Twitter account to decry the post as fake. The department believes the screenshot was made in a photo editing application, Housaman said.
In reality, the officer was on her way to work, and a Ford truck was pulling out of Parker’s convenience store on Snake Road near Callawassie Island when they crashed, according to Lt. Christian Gonzalez, spokesperson for Bluffton police. The officer was not at fault, Gonzalez said, and South Carolina Highway Patrol is investigating the incident.
No charges were filed, Trooper Nick Pye said.
The patrol car had severe damage following the crash and could not be driven from the scene, Gonzalez said.
Mikaela Boswell, a Parker’s employee, was doing a propane exchange with a customer around 5:25 p.m. Saturday when she heard the crash and turned around to see a Bluffton patrol vehicle in mid-spin.
Other online posts said the officer purposefully crashed into the other vehicle to prevent any further damage because the driver was going down the wrong side of the road. That wasn’t the case, Gonzalez said. The other car was not on the wrong side of the road.
“It was an accident,” Gonzalez said. “I mean, it happens.”
It is unknown whether the police department will open an investigation into who made the fake posts, Chief Stephenie Price said.
Both the officer and the other driver were transported to Beaufort Memorial Hospital for treatment, and the officer was later released, Gonzalez said.
This story was originally published July 21, 2021 at 4:30 AM.
