Man Charged in I-20 Death Has Extensive Criminal Record

Prosecutors on Tuesday convinced a Lexington County judge that Thomas Lee Stafford should be kept in jail because of his lengthy criminal record.

The West Columbia man charged with felony DUI in the death of a S.C. Department of Transportation worker has a history of druken driving and other traffic charges, according to police and court records obtained Wednesday by Patch.

Stafford, 39, is accused of hitting and killing 21-year-old Nicholas Johnson Monday on I-20 westbound, Senior Trooper Brent Kelly said. He was charged with felony DUI and leaving the scene of an accident involving a death.

Stafford's first DUI was in July 2008 when he was arrested by Lexington Police, according to records from the police department. He was convicted of that charge in 2010. 

Stafford was out on bond on his second DUI charge when the Monday crash occurred. The Pine Ridge Police Department arrested him Nov. 19, according to court records. 

Officers with the Lexington Police Department also arrested Stafford in July 1998 on an open container charge and in September 2008 for leaving the scene of an accident, according to police records. He was convicted of both charges. 

Stafford paid fines for numerous other traffic violations in the Town of Lexington, including two speeding tickets and a seat belt law violation in 1998, a speeding ticket in 2008 and a seatbelt law violation in 2009. 

Records show that the Lexington Police Department has an unserved warrant for Stafford for shoplifting from Walmart in January 2012.