Deputy who showed up at son’s arrest was suspended without pay

The Richland County deputy accused of interfering with her son’s Sept. 6 traffic stop in Kershaw County was suspended for three days without pay, Sheriff Leon Lott said.

This disciplinary action came after an investigation by the sheriff’s department’s internal affairs unit, which was assisted by the Kershaw County Sheriff’s Office, Lott said.

The punishment was for “conduct detrimental to the operation of the sheriff’s department by driving her Richland County Sheriff’s Department vehicle to her son’s traffic stop and displaying behavior not representative of the Richland County Sheriff’s Department.”

Lott said that the deputy, Lisa Grazioli, has already served her suspension. “No further action will be taken on this matter until resolution of the charge brought against her,” he said.

Grazioli was charged with hindering officers after she arrived on the scene of a Kershaw County incident involving her son, Victor Manuel Ortiz Jr. Her son was charged by Kershaw deputies with disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, and operating a vehicle without registration and license.

The incident was caught on dash cam video released by the Kershaw County Sheriff’s Office.