Former Aiken County deputy charged after reportedly firing gun

WARRENVILLE, S.C. (WRDW/WAGT) - A deputy was fired in March after the Aiken County Sheriff’s Office found he violated policy in discharging a gun during a confrontation with a driver — now he’s facing charges.

Agents with the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division charged Christopher Lamar Williams, 31, on Friday with misconduct in office and assault and battery in the first degree.

Williams was booked at the Aiken County Detention Center.

The shooting happened around 10:09 a.m. on March 7, after Williams stopped a black Nissan Pathfinder on Howlandville Road near Cemetery Road, according to the Aiken County Sheriff’s Office. Williams fired his gun, which hit the rear of the vehicle, according to authorities.

The arrest warrant states this caused the “potential for great bodily injury or death to occur.”

No one was injured, but the gunfire violated the agency’s use-of-force policy, so Williams was terminated, according to the agency.

The arrest warrant states he committed misconduct/ misconduct in office, malfeasance, misfeasance, or nonfeasance of his official duties during the traffic stop.

He’s also committed the offense of assault and battery in the first degree, according to the arrest warrants.

The detention center says Williams was released on a $5,000 bond for each charge.

According to deputies, the driver, Brittany Norton, 29, drove away and was pursued to the 200 block of Schley Street.

The warrant states Williams asked the driver to exit the vehicle, but she allegedly refused and while Williams was standing next to Norton with the driver’s door open and to his left, Norton put the vehicle in drive and fled.

Williams’ in-car video showed (the driver) took no overt action to endanger Williams other than fleeing, according to the arrest warrant.

We previously reported that Norton was eventually taken into custody and was expected to be charged with failure to stop for a blue light and possession of a Schedule IV substance, according to deputies.

Williams was with the sheriff’s agency since December 2021 and was assigned to the uniformed patrol division.

The 2nd Circuit Solicitor’s Office will prosecute the case, SLED says.

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