Columbia, SC (WLTX) -- A casefile for a South Carolina State Trooper who shot a man at a traffic stop in Richland County shows at least five complaints have been filed against the officer.
The Department of Public Safety says LCpl. Sean M. Groubert shot a man during a traffic stop on September 4 near Broad River and Whiteford Road. The shooting took place after Groubert pulled over a driver for a seat belt violation.
The man who was shot, 35-year-old Levar Jones, is now recovering at home. An attorney who represents Jones tells News19 that his client was shot in the hip.
SCDPS has not provided any details of why a shot was fired, and the case was investigated by SLED. SLED has since turned their findings over to the Fifth Circuit Solicitor's Office to determine if charges should be filed against the trooper. Neither SLED, nor the solicitor's office, have provided details on what is in the report.
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News19 received a list of complaints against LCpl. Groubert received by SCDPS. The Office of Professional Responsibility has investigated four complaints against him and is currently looking into a fifth case. Reviews of the complaints found no misconduct in two of the cases, and found department policies were violated in the other two.
Those cases are as follows:
- 11-15-2006: "Subject alleged she was stopped for no reason. Groubert stated that he observed erratic driving." After a review the case was ruled to be unfounded, meaning misconduct did not occur.
- 8-27-2006: "Groubert was assisting at the scene of a collision with other troopers where the father alleged his son was unnecessarily detained for questioning at the scene. Groubert's presence at the scene was found not to violate any policies." In this case, Groubert's actions were determined to be within policy and within the law.
- 5-22-2009: "Groubert arrested subject for DUI. Did not follow administrative procedure for implied consent law and the case was not prosecuted."
- 1-6-2013: "Groubert was blocking a lane of traffic to assist in rerouting traffic due to a collision. A subject drove around his patrol vehicle. Subject complained that he spoke to her in an unprofessional manner. He stopped and charged subject with 'disobedience to police,' which was determined to be an improper charge. Charge was dismissed."
- 8-21-2014: SCDPS tells News19 a complaint was filed about an incident during a court proceeding. When asked for details about the complaint, a SCDPS spokesperson emailed saying, "We cannot give you any further details on it because it is ongoing."
LCpl. Groubert's file also includes several awards. Groubert was awarded the Medal of Valor Award by SCDPS in 2013 for his actions during an incident outside the Wells Fargo bank branch in Columbia's Five Points. Groubert exchanged shots at the suspect in that case, an action that investigators say was warranted.
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Groubert was also given a DUI Enforcement Award from MADD in 2007. The SCDPS also says he received a letter of commendation in August of this year from a woman who says Trooper Groubert helped her after she hit a tire in the road.
