In October 2020, Deputy Johnathan Goldsmith responded to a suspicious vehicle call and encountered Tony Sims, who admitted to drinking. During the arrest, Goldsmith used excessive force, including striking Sims, using a taser, and deploying pepper spray, resulting in Sims losing consciousness and suffering a broken jaw. Goldsmith was fired in November 2020, arrested by SLED agents, and in September 2024, a jury convicted him of second-degree assault and battery and misconduct in office, sentencing him to one year in prison. Additionally, in April 2022, a lawsuit filed by Sims against Goldsmith and the Kershaw County Sheriff was settled for $1.5 million.
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