Cop arrests driver with sawed-off shotgun

Cop arrests driver with sawed-off shotgun

GENELLE B. WILLIAMS

Jasper County Sun Times

genelle.williams@morris.com

A Ridgeland police officer's training helped save his life as he approached a man sitting in a car with a sawed-off shotgun.

On May 15, the officer stopped a Dodge Caravan at the 21.5 mile marker on Interstate 95 South for travelling 86 mph in a 70-mph zone. It was 10:33 p.m.

According to the RPD, the officer exited his vehicle and approached on the passenger side where he saw William Charles Davis, Jr., 25, of Catskills, N.Y., sitting in the driver's seat. Davis held a Stevens 20-gauge sawed-off double-barrel shotgun close to his chest, with the barrel pointed toward the driver's window. His finger was on the trigger.

Davis was looking over his left shoulder awaiting the officer's approach from the driver's side. The passenger's side door was locked and the window was up.

The officer ordered Davis at gunpoint to place his hands on the steering wheel and immediately called for back-up. Davis put the shotgun on the dashboard and assisting officers arrived and Davis was taken into custody.

"In this situation the suspect was expecting the officer to approach the driver's side. When the officer saw the shotgun he immediately drew his weapon on Davis," Chief Richard Woods said. "When Davis realized that the officer did not approach as anticipated, his odds of winning a gun battle had rapidly diminished. This very easily could have ended in tragedy for this officer or Davis."

Davis was found to also be in possession of eight shotgun shells and 25 tabs of what cops believe to be LSD that were in a cigarette pack. Also found was a leather motorcycle vest with a center patch identifying the "BEJACS" motor cycle club, Catskills, N.Y.

It was discovered that the vehicle Davis was operating was stolen from Wilmington, N.C.

Davis invoked his rights not to speak with officers and was placed in the Jasper County Detention Center and charged with pointing and presenting a firearm, possession of a sawed-off shotgun, possession of a firearm with a obliterated serial number, possession of a stolen vehicle, possession of a schedule 1 narcotic, no driver's license and speeding.

Chief Woods said the SALTS (Safe and Legal Traffic Stops) training principals helped save the officer's life.

"There are several things that an officer can do to confuse the occupants of a vehicle, which allow him to approach the vehicle undetected," Chief Woods said. "The methods utilized allow officers the opportunity to possibly gain a tactical advantage over the occupants."

He said it may be a quick glance that allows the officer a split second to retreat if he detects danger.

Past this point the officer enters what is known as "No Mans Land." This is the point that if someone in the vehicle has plans of shooting the officer, they are alerted to his presence and the officer has no cover."

Woods said the situation was a textbook example of following training protocol and not taking shortcuts.

"A lot of factors played a role in this ending well," Woods said. "By the grace of God this officer walked away unscathed."