Mayor’s mysterious death rocks small town already reeling from police force exodus

Mayor George Garner of McColl, SC, died in a traffic accident on Nov. 26 while pursued by a Marlboro County deputy.

His death came not long after he was reelected and only a matter of days after McColl’s entire police force resigned. Among other causes, the officers cited “a hostile work environment” perpetuated by a McColl city “Councilman,” former Police Chief Bob Hale wrote in a Facebook post, announcing his decision to quit.

Local authorities confirmed McColl was under investigation when the car he was driving veered over the center line and collided head-on with an 18-wheeler truck. The truck driver’s status has not been reported. McColl is a small town of around 2,000 people near the North Carolina border and about 80 miles outside Charlotte. Besides Police Chief Hale, only four other officers were on the force. The choice left the town without any local law enforcement.

In a Facebook update, Darlington County Coroner J. Todd Hardee clarified McColl was not “pursued” by a deputy in connection to “any laws being broken” when he died. The pursuit was “to protect the well being of Mr. Garner,” Hardee added in part, providing no further details. The nature of Garner’s investigation and why the McColl mayor needed protection are unclear.

“Unwarranted and malicious behavior”

It’s also unclear if there’s any connection between Garner’s accident and the McColl police force’s decision to quit. In his update announcing the news, former Chief Hale said in part, “For months, I have endured unwarranted and malicious behavior aimed at undermining my integrity and leadership. These actions have not only affected me personally but have also created a toxic atmosphere that has hindered the department’s ability to function effectively.”

Hale added, “Despite our efforts to address these issues professionally and through appropriate channels, the harassment and hostility have persisted.” Hale also mentioned budget cuts, which Hale blamed on an unnamed “Councilman.” Hale’s update explained in part, “Despite repeated appeals for funding to modernize equipment, enhance training, and increase staffing levels to meet the needs of our community, those critical needs went unmet.”

Myrtle Beach, SC news WBTW reported five of six McColl councilmen could not be reached. One city councilor, Harry Benjamin, told the outlet he was “shocked, just like everyone else” when he heard the entire police force resigned and did not know which councilman Hale referred to in his post.

At that time, McColl officials were already seeking to hire a new police chief and officers. Benjamin said until then, the county sheriff’s office would handle McColl’s police work. On Dec. 2, One in Five Foundation for Kids, a national nonprofit, sent one of their STOPNOW citizen patrol teams to fill in for the city.

A history of tension between city officials and McColl police

A clearer picture may emerge over time if and how Garner’s traffic accident and the recent police force decision to quit are connected, but the November mass exodus was not the first time McColl city officials had feuded with local police. Over a year before Police Chief Hale and the other officers quit, Hale’s predecessor, Xzavier Williams resigned, just one of many officers who had done so.

Before he resigned, Williams, the only certified officer on the force at the time, cited “a hostile work environment caused by [Mayor Garner],” WBTW reported. Williams previously said, “The problem lies when you have certain officials who either try to take over the department and run it without having proper knowledge about the law and not trusting the very person they hired to operate the department.”