Deputies: Hilton Head man sentenced after dragging officer with car during traffic stop

BEAUFORT, S.C. (WOLO) – A Hilton Head man who injured a Beaufort County deputy with his car in the parking lot of a outlet center was sentenced today.

Akeem Shamar Jenkins, 24, pleaded guilty Wednesday to resisting law enforcement and trafficking cocaine.

Jenkins was sentenced to 10 years in prison on each charge with will serve the sentence concurrently.

Jenkins was speeding on U.S. 278 in southern Beaufort County on Dec. 9, 2016, when he passed Deputy Raymond Heroux. The officer initiated a traffic stop, and Jenkins pulled over into the Tanger Two Outlet parking lot.

As Heroux attempted to arrest him, Jenkins slammed his car into reverse, ramming Heroux’s vehicle.

Heroux was caught in the door of Jenkins’ vehicle and dragged around as Jenkins drove erratically around the parking lot. The officer fired three shots, striking the defendant and causing him to hit a tree. Subsequently, 48 grams of cocaine were discovered in Jenkins’ pants.

Jenkins was on probation at the time of incident. He had previous convictions for third-degree burglary, discharging a firearm into a dwelling, possession of marijuana and possession of a controlled substance.

Jenkins also faces an unrelated attempted-murder charge in Jasper County in connection with a shooting during a tailgating event for Ridgeland High School’s football homecoming on Oct. 29, 2018.

The investigation into that incident continues. The defendant has not been convicted in that matter and remains innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.