Use of force by Richland deputies leaves man battered & bruised on live TV show
Editor’s note: This story was updated Thursday at 10:15 a.m. to clarify that deputies did not cause the large knot that can be seen on the top of Outen’s head.
A traffic stop by the Richland County Sheriff’s Department — captured on the TV show “On Patrol: Live” — left a man with multiple injuries to his face after refusing to exit his vehicle. The department now says it plans to review its use of force policy.
Around 7:45 p.m. on Dec. 6, deputies conducted a traffic stop on Maxie Outen, 31, on Hardscrabble Road for failing to maintain lane, according to a news release.
Upon making contact with Outen, a deputy spotted a white substance inside a plastic bag that Outen said was a narcotic, the release said.
Outen was then ordered out of the car, but refused, according to the release. A fight between deputies and Outen broke out and lasted several minutes, during which deputies struck Outen multiple times as the 31-year-old resisted and kicked deputies, the release said. A Taser was also deployed but was ineffective.
Once detained, deputies searched Outen’s vehicle and found an open bottle of liquor, narcotics, a firearm and a box of ammunition. He was charged with possession of a schedule 1 narcotic, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, transport of liquor by vehicle with a seal broken, third-degree assault and battery and resisting arrest, according to the release.
In a mugshot photo, Outen appeared to have a bruise around his left eye with blood surrounding his nose and lips. The knot on top of Outen’s head was not a result of the incident, according to Sheriff Leon Lott and a photo of Outen’s driver’s license, taken before his encounter with deputies.
The department said in a news release that it will review its use of force policy and that its Citizens Advisory Council will review the incident during a meeting in January.
Outen was booked into the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center. He was released on a $17,382.50 bond, according to the release.
This story was originally published December 10, 2025 at 3:09 PM.
