Mayor dies in police chase, just days after entire force resigns

A South Carolina mayor died Tuesday while being pursued by law enforcement, just days after the city’s entire police force quit due to a “hostile work environment.”

McColl Mayor George Garner II crossed into eastbound traffic and collided head-on with an 18-wheeler during the police chase. Sources said Garner was under an active investigation by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division WBTWalthough details of the investigation are not clear.

“The persecution was not related to violations of the law. “The pursuit was carried out in an effort to protect the welfare of Mr Garner,” the coroner said, adding that further information will be released in the coming days.

On November 21, just five days before the crash, Police Chief Bob Hale and his five officers resigned from their positions. Hale announced the departure in a Facebook postwhere he said he left because of “repeated harassment” and “personal attacks” on his character by a city council member.

Hale added that the council member cut police funding when he took office.

“This lack of investment impacted our ability to meet the standards that the citizens of the City of McColl rightly expect and deserve,” he said in the post.

McColl police have been involved in conflicts before. The former police chief resigned in June of this year due to a hostile work environment caused by Garner, according to court documents said.

Garner recently won re-election in the town of 2,000.