Charleston County Deputy To Face Charges After Crash That Kills Mother, Daughters

SOUTH CAROLINA — A Charleston County Deputy faces charges after investigators said she sped through a stop sign and crashed into a car, killing a mother and her two adult daughters last month on Mother’s Day, according to multiple reports.

Deputy Emily Pelletier has been charged with three counts of reckless homicide. On May 8, she was driving 75 mph to check on a stopped vehicle, but didn’t have on emergency lights or a siren, reported WAGA-TV. The accident happened as she turned onto U.S. Highway 17 south of Charleston, reported WAGA-TV.

According to WLTX-TV, as Pelletier traveled to assist the driver, she collided into a car that was driven by 28-year-old Shanice Dantzler-Williams with her mother, 53-year-old Stephania Dantzler, and her 22-year-old sister Miranda Dantzler-Williams.

The message the family wanted the sheriff's office to convey was this: "They were three kind, loving, and precious souls,” reported WLTX-TV.

“This particular accident claimed the lives of three precious members of this family, Miranda, Shanice and Stephanie,” said Sheriff Kristin Graziano, spokesperson for the Charleston Sheriff Department, at a news conference Tuesday.

“We acknowledged that [the victims’] family was not to blame for this. Emily Pelletier contributed to this accident; there’s no doubt about the facts," she said.

“I think we all agree, she ran a stop sign, and hit the vehicle that was driven by Shanice. She struck the vehicle, there’s no doubt about that, and both vehicles left the roadway.”

Graziano said there is no video from the crash due to a technical issue or damage that prevented the camera from capturing video before the crash.

Pelletier is on leave. Graziano said she wanted to review the entire Highway Patrol report before deciding what to do about employment.