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A South Carolina sheriff’s deputy is out on bond after being charged with driving under the influence, hit-and-run and multiple drug offenses while allegedly behind the wheel of his county-issued pickup truck this past weekend.
Joseph “Joey” Russell Williamson, 44, a now-former deputy with the Pickens County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO), was arrested by officers with the Easley Police Department (EPD) following a hit-and-run crash near West Main Street and Fleetwood Drive Saturday night.
The alleged hit-and-run, it turned out, was only the beginning.
Per an incident report provided by EPD (.pdf), an officer made contact with Williamson shortly after the alleged crash, spotting him appearing to inspect his 2019 Ford F-150 while parked beside a local gas station.
The responding officer noted in his report that he pulled in behind the vehicle, later identified as belonging to PCSO, and detained Williamson, who was “leaned up against the front passenger side corner of the truck.”
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? #BREAKING: The now former Pickens County Sheriff's Deputy arrested over the weekend is Joey Williamson, according to multiple sources familiar with the department.
— Andrew Fancher (@RealAndyFancher) May 5, 2026
The Easley Police Department, where Williamson previously served as a lieutenant, confirmed their department… pic.twitter.com/9NAIccB3LQ
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After Mirandizing Williamson and receiving permission to search the truck for his license, the officer wrote: “While looking through the truck, I realized that Williamson was deputy Williamson with the Pickens County Sheriff’s Office.”
Upon realizing he was dealing with a fellow law enforcement officer, the responding officer requested his shift supervisor respond to the scene. He also informed Williamson that he was being investigated for hit-and-run.
The officer deactivated his flashing lights and removed Williamson from handcuffs in order to conduct a field sobriety test. Per the report, Williamson “agreed to participate.”
The report offered few details on how the test went, but notes that based on “the totality of the circumstances,” Williamson was deemed “materially and appreciably impaired” and charged with DUI and leaving the scene of a hit-and-run.
Williamson was subsequently administered a breath test at EPD headquarters and later provided a urine sample at Prisma Health Baptist Easley Hospital. Results of both tests remain unclear as of publishing.
What remains patently clear in the same records (.pdf), however, is that a large quantity of pills were seized from Williamson’s county-issued pickup during an inventory of the vehicle.
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Subsequent arrest warrants provided to FITSNews noted that EPD located the pills in the truck’s toolbox, stored in multiple bottles not labeled as belonging to Williamson.
“The quantity of pills was greatly more than what is normally prescribed to a single person at a time,” the officer wrote.
For the latter revelations, Williamson was charged with possession with intent to distribute Schedule IV controlled substances, as well as manufacturing or distributing Schedule I and II narcotics, both first offenses.
The following day, Williamson was released on a $23,501 personal recognizance bond set by municipal court judge Elaina Calderon.
It was not until two days after Williamson’s arrest, and approximately one hour after FITSNews requested Williamson’s incident report from EPD, that Pickens County Sheriff Tommy Blankenship addressed his deputy’s arrest.
Blankenship did not mention Williamson by name.
“On the night of the arrest, I personally went to the Easley Police Department to review the initial information,” Blankenship said in a video message posted to Facebook. “Based on what I observed, I made the decision to terminate this deputy’s employment.. that same evening.”
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RELATED | PICKENS DEPUTY FORGETS HANDGUN IN GAS STATION BATHROOM
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Blankenship, who is currently serving his first term as sheriff, framed the swift termination as a matter of accountability, saying it “is not optional, it is expected.”
He further confirmed that he contacted agents with the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) and requested they investigate the matter “thoroughly and without bias.”
Blankenship further apologized to EPD and the citizens of Pickens County in his video message.
“Situations like this damage the very trust that we work hard every day to build and I don’t take that lightly,” Blankenship said. “You deserve a sheriff’s office that operates with integrity, professionalism and accountability at all levels.”
As of publication, a SLED spokesperson had not confirmed an investigation into Williamson.
Public records indicate Williamson previously served with EPD, leaving as a lieutenant before eventually joining PCSO. In July 2020, he was honored with an “Outstanding Law Enforcement Award” presented during a City of Easley council meeting.
Write to Andrew Fancher at andy@fitsnews.com.
UPDATE | Shortly after this publication, SLED provided FITSNews with the following statement:
The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) was requested on Monday, May 4, 2026, by the Pickens County Sheriff’s Office to investigate allegations of misconduct involving former deputy Joseph Russell Williamson.
SLED’s investigation is active and ongoing at this time.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR…
Andrew Fancher is a Lone Star Emmy Award–winning journalist from Dallas, Texas. He joined FITSNews in 2023 after leaving an NBC affiliate, where he served as on-air talent. His reporting focuses on public corruption in South Carolina, with an emphasis on law enforcement misconduct and abuse of power.
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1 comment
So Dylan got a haircut and now Andy needs one…