Lexington man gets 12 years in prison for shooting sheriff’s deputy
A 71-year-old Lexington man will spend more than a decade in prison for the shooting of a Lexington County sheriff’s deputy.
Mark Louis Cote pleaded guilty on Thursday to assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature, third-degree domestic violence and malicious injury to personal property, the 11th Circuit Solicitor’s Office announced. By law, he will not be eligible for parole.
The charges stem from an incident on Sept. 5, 2020, when deputies responded to a domestic violence call at a home on Eagleview Drive. Cote’s wife reported that Cote had assaulted her and pointed a firearm at her during an argument. After she left the home, Cote texted her that he would begin burning items in the home, the solicitor’s office said.
When deputies announced their presence at the scene, Cote came out of the home with a shotgun and exchanged fire with a deputy, who was struck in the head. The deputy survived the shooting and later recovered from his injuries.
The S.C. Law Enforcement Division’s SWAT team was called to the scene and negotiated with Cote for 10 hours. During the course of the standoff, Cote fired through the home’s garage door and struck a SLED agent, who was uninjured. He also damaged a robot that was sent into the home by firing at it, the solicitor said. He eventually surrendered to law enforcement.
Cote appeared in a Lexington County court on Thursday with what a solicitor’s office press release described as “deteriorating health.” He was in a wheelchair after having a leg amputated.
“A domestic violence call is one of the most dangerous calls that our law enforcement officers receive,” Solicitor Rick Hubbard said in a press release. “They have a tough, and often, scary job, but they respond every time with courage. My office will continue to support and stand with our law enforcement officers. This deputy fortunately survived this shooting, but we all know it could have been far worse.”
Lexington County Sheriff Jay Koon also attended Thursday’s hearing.
“This sentence represents justice,” Koon said. “I’m pleased the court accepted Cote’s plea and handed down a sentence that brings some peace to the deputy and his family. The deputy acted bravely during his encounter with Cote. Years of training ensured he responded according to policy and as any reasonable officer would when facing such a dangerous situation.”
This story was originally published January 28, 2022 at 9:11 AM.
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