SC police officer charged with assault after striking man in the head, SLED says

A former police officer has been charged with assault and battery, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division announced.

Ashton Myles Posey, 34, “unlawfully injured” a man following a police chase in Aiken County on Oct. 2, 2023, according to an affadavit. Posey was an officer with the Aiken police department at the time.

Posey struck the victim, whose name was redacted, in the head three times while he was being removed from a car.

The Aiken Department of Public Safety asked SLED to investigate. SLED determined, based on statements and a recorded video of the incident, that Posey had violated the law.

Posey was charged with assault and battery in the third degree on Friday. He was booked at the Aiken County Detention Center.

The case will be prosecuted by the 2nd Circuit Solicitor’s Office, SLED said.

This story was originally published February 3, 2024 at 10:37 AM.

Alexa Jurado

The State

Alexa Jurado is a news reporter for The State covering Lexington County and Richland County schools. She previously wrote about the University of South Carolina and contributes to this coverage. A Chicago suburbs native, Alexa graduated from Marquette University and previously wrote for publications in Illinois and Wisconsin. Her work has been recognized by the Society of Professional Journalists, the Milwaukee Press Club and the South Carolina Press Association.