A South Carolina state trooper, Mitchell Williams Jr., is recovering in the hospital after being struck by a vehicle during a traffic stop on Interstate 77 near mile marker 9. The driver, Alex Bookert, has been charged with driving under the influence and endangering emergency services personnel. This incident comes after the recent death of Trooper Dennis D. Ricks in a separate vehicle strike, highlighting concerns about the safety of law enforcement officers on the roadside.
John E. “JJ” Jones, executive director of the South Carolina Law Enforcement Officers Association, said that two such incidents in a short period are uncommon in the state. Jones, a former Lexington County Sheriff’s Department officer, described his own experience of being hit by a car while directing traffic, noting the ongoing risks officers face…