Woman charged with DUI after man’s death rested and faces one count of trian’s identity as 64-year-old Lee County man felony driving under the influ- Freddy Nance. ence involving death and one Nance died at McLeod Region- TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2019 75 CENTS killed after being count of hit and run, according al Medical Center in Florence to the South Carolina Highway from injuries he sustained in the SERVING SOUTH CAROLINA SINCE OCTOBER 15, 1894 hit by car in Sumter Patrol and Sumter-Lee Regional collision, Baker said. An autop- BY KAYLA ROBINS Detention Center inmate search. sy was performed Monday at 2 SECTIONS, 16 PAGES | VOL. 124, NO. 92 [email protected] Highway Patrol Cpl. Sonny MUSC in Charleston, and Collins said the driver of a 2010 Nance’s next of kin has been no- A woman is facing DUI charg- Ford Edge hit a pedestrian on tified. es after a Lee County man was Trinity Road in Lynchburg on Bond was denied for Toney. Superintendent fatally struck by a vehicle in Feb. 23 about 5 p.m. The incident remains under Sumter on Saturday. Sumter County Coroner Rob- investigation by the highway pa- search update Cinderetha Toney, 44, was ar- bie Baker confirmed the pedes- trol. for Sumter School District The Sumter School District Board of Trustees were likely to announce three finalists vying to become the district’s next superintendent at its meeting on Monday night. The board meeting continued beyond press time. Visit us at www.theitem. com to read the story now. Happiness in a handshake Coverage will also be in Wednesday’s paper. SPORTS Scott’s Branch girls bball 1 win from state title B1 NATION Should drug dealers be charged with murder after overdoses? A4 DEATHS, B4 Jimmy Bruce Payne John Danner Jr. Lucious Prescott Sr. PHOTOS BY KAYLA ROBINS / THE SUMTER ITEM Lottie Mae Hutchinson Johnson Tiffani Kruger, who teaches at Millwood Elementary School, does a unique handshake with each of the 29 kindergartners in her Maggie Mallette White class every morning. She does the multi-step handshakes to make the students feel special and to create a positive atmosphere. Freddy Nance Mary Sue Wilson Eloise Mack David Anthony Reed Mary Alice Cabbagestalk Marvin Capers L.J. Washington Virginia Geddings Larkins WEATHER, A10 SUNNY AGAIN TODAY Partly sunny today; increasing clouds tonight HIGH 68, LOW 49 Teacher learns different handshake with students to engage positivity INSIDE CONTACT US BY KAYLA ROBINS but 29 kindergartners line up every said Kruger, who is in her fourth Classifieds B6 Info: 774-1200 [email protected] morning outside classroom No. 106 year of teaching, all with the Mus- Comics A8 Advertising: 774-1237 to do their unique handshake with tangs. A9 igh five, high five, their teacher, Tiffani Kruger, who Her goal for the handshakes is to Opinion Classifieds: 774-1200 recently introduced the routine at make her kids feel special, feel B1 Sports Delivery: 774-1258 backhand five, double Millwood Elementary School. loved. An expectation to be cared Television B5 News and Sports: H She had seen the viral videos of about. snap. Three claps and 774-1226 a teacher, then teachers across the “I can’t sit there and say I know “the elbow thing.” Side five, country, memorizing a different what each child is going home to side five, foot five, foot five, multi-step handshake for every each day, but I know that when VISIT US ONLINE AT the .com student as a way to make them feel they come to school and they’re sit- other hand side five, other special and to encourage engage- ting out here in the mornings and I hand side five, foot five. ment and energy in the classroom. bring them into the classroom, “They all genuinely get excited they know that they’re going to see Kids often make secret hand- each morning to come to school shakes with their friends at school, and do the handshake with me,” SEE HANDSHAKES, PAGE A7 Family: Man died after officer signs form refusing treatment BY JEFFREY COLLINS sion started an investigation sciousness. Doctors would ambulance and after finding The jailhouse video shows The Associated Press into the actions of Charleston later find a severe cut to his an opened bottle of wine be- Rhodes sitting slumped in a Police and Charleston County liver that was causing inter- tween the front seats asked chair. After he briefly loses COLUMBIA — A South authorities have begun inves- nal bleeding and eight broken him to get off the stretcher, consciousness, paramedics Carolina man who died in Au- tigating paramedics who dealt ribs, lawyer Justin Bamberg Bamberg said. are called. As they ask Rhodes gust from injuries suffered in with Nathaniel Rhodes after said, citing an autopsy report. The officer started doing so- to stand and take a few steps a car crash four days earlier the crash. Rhodes, 58, was charged briety tests that Rhodes failed, to the stretcher, an officer was delayed in getting medi- Attorneys for Rhodes’ fami- with driving under the influ- the report said. comes up and asks him to cal treatment because an offi- ly showed a Charleston Coun- ence after running a red light The form refusing treat- sign a form agreeing to either cer signed a form for him say- ty jail video Monday of para- and crashing into another car ment from paramedics at the a breath or blood test for his ing he refused help, the fami- medics joking as Rhodes in Charleston on Aug. 12, ac- scene was signed by an officer alcohol level. Rhodes seems ly’s attorney said. moaned, sounded like he was cording to an incident report. who appears to include a out of it and struggles to even In the past three days, the struggling to breathe and The officer who responded to badge number and “CPD” be- State Law Enforcement Divi- slipped in and out of con- the wreck found Rhodes in an side the signature. SEE TREATMENT, PAGE A7 A2 | TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2019 THE SUMTER ITEM Call: (803) 774-1226 | E-mail: [email protected] Law enforcement recognized by Rotary Club of Sumter Palmetto PHOTOS BY DANNY KELLY / THE SUMTER ITEM LEFT: Cpl. Mike Graham addresses fellow police officers at a special law enforcement ceremony on Thursday at The Restaurant at Second Mill where outstanding officers were rec- ognized by the Rotary Club of Sumter Palmetto. At Graham’s left is Tonyia McGirt, public information officer for Sumter Police Department and immediate past president of the Ro- tary Club of Sumter Palmetto (standing) and Melissa Evans, president of the club (seated). RIGHT: From left, Sgt. James Ardis, Lance Cpl. Crystal Isaac (both of the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office) and Officer 1st Class Cedric Kirkman of the Sumter Police Department were recognized as Deputy of the Year, Detention Officer of the Year and Officer of the Year, respectively. Trooper 1st Class James C. Welsh of the S.C. Highway Patrol (Sumter-Clarendon) received an award for Trooper of the Year, but he was unable to attend the ceremony. Pinewood Road crash takes life United Methodist Church on of Sumter man edge of breakup over LGBT stand BY KAYLA ROBINS [email protected] ST. LOUIS (AP) — The United church, not a culturally liberal Methodist Church teetered on the ‘This is really painful. Our church elite in the U.S.” A Sumter man died from injuries he brink of breakup Monday after more The Africans have some strong al- sustained in a single-vehicle crash on than half the delegates at an interna- disagreement has pitted lies among U.S. conservatives, includ- Saturday. tional conference voted to maintain ing the Rev. John Miles II, senior pas- Marvin Capers, 42, succumbed to his bans on same-sex weddings and ordi- friend against friend, tor of First United Methodist Church injuries at Prisma Health Richland nation of gay clergy. in Jonesboro, Arkansas, who opposes after a wreck that occurred at 3:05 a.m. Their favored plan, if formally ap- which no one wanted.’ same-sex marriage and gays in the on Feb. 23, Sumter County Coroner proved, could drive supporters of pulpit. Robbie Baker said. LGBT inclusion to leave America’s DAVID WATSON “I have a very difficult time even South Carolina Highway Patrol Cpl. second-largest Protestant denomina- though I have gays in my family and Sonny Collins said a 2003 GMC Envoy tion. Dean and professor at United in my church,” he said. “I know it that was heading north on Pinewood A final vote on rival plans for the Theological Seminary in Dayton, grieves them, and it grieves me to Road ran off the right side of the road church’s future won’t come until to- grieve them. But it’s just what we be- at the intersection with Kolb Road, day’s closing session, and the out- Ohio lieve is the truth.” striking a utility pole and overturning. come remains uncertain. But the In recent years, the church’s en- Capers was the only occupant of the preliminary vote Monday showed forcement of its LGBT bans has vehicle, Collins said. The driver was not that the Traditional Plan, which calls “Our disagreement has pitted friend been inconsistent. Some clergy wearing a seat belt. for keeping the LGBT bans and en- against friend, which no one want- members have conducted same-sex An autopsy was performed Monday forcing them more strictly, had the ed.” marriages or come out as gay from at MUSC in Charleston, and the de- support of 56 percent of the more Formed in a merger in 1968, the the pulpit.