Garner, who had recently secured reelection in the town of roughly 1,900 residents, met his untimely demise on Tuesday afternoon in Mechanicsville.
According to The Post Millennial, the fatal incident unfolded around 2:40 pm on November 26. Garner swerved into oncoming traffic, colliding head-on with a Volvo tractor-trailer. Both Garner and the truck driver were rushed to a local hospital, where Garner ultimately succumbed to his injuries.
Darlington County Coroner J. Todd Hardee revealed that Garner was being trailed by Marlboro County Sheriff's deputies at the time of the accident. "The pursuit was not related to any laws being broken," Hardee clarified in a Facebook statement. "The pursuit was taking place in an effort to protect the well-being of Mr. Garner."
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Marlboro County Sheriff Charles Lemon, speaking to WBTW News13 in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, confirmed that authorities were following Garner, but not "chasing him." He disclosed that Garner's wife had reached out to the sheriff's office, prompting deputies to monitor Garner's vehicle to assess his welfare.
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This incident comes on the heels of the resignation of McColl's entire police force last month. The town's police chief and four other law enforcement officers stepped down, citing "unwanted and malicious behavior," in a now-deleted social media post. Garner's death is currently under active investigation, with authorities yet to divulge specific details. The loss of the mayor, coupled with the recent police resignations, leaves the small town of McColl grappling with a leadership vacuum and a community in mourning.
