Lexington County deputy placed on leave after domestic violence arrest, sheriff says
A member of the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department was placed on leave Monday after he was arrested on a domestic violence charge.
Charles Freeman, 47, was charged with third-degree domestic violence, the sheriff’s department said in a news release.
Freeman was arrested by Lexington Police Department officers early Monday morning at a home in the 400 block of Ivy Green Lane, according to the release. That’s in Lexington, near the intersection of North Lake Drive and Old Cherokee Road.
Officers met with a victim at the home who said that during an argument she was tackled in the hallway of the home by Freeman, who was trying to take his cellphone from her, according to police.
During the struggle the victim suffered a cut to her right arm, but she declined medical attention, police said.
No other injuries were reported, but police said two witnesses told officers that they heard the argument and the noise of someone falling to the ground.
Following the arrest, Lexington County Sheriff Jay Koon placed Freeman on paid administrative leave, according to the release.
“When I became aware of the arrest, we initiated the process to place Deputy Freeman on leave,” Koon said in the release. “We continue to gather information about what happened in this situation and will take the appropriate action after reviewing the facts of the case.”
Freeman was booked into the Lexington County Detention Center before getting released after meeting the conditions of his bond, the sheriff’s department said.
If convicted on the misdemeanor charge, Freeman faces a maximum punishment of 90 days in jail and a $2,500 fine, according to South Carolina law.
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This story was originally published September 16, 2024 at 1:50 PM.
