Kathryn denies involvement in hit and run, claims she didn’t leave property despite new damages to car
BERKELY COUNTY, SOUTH CAROLINA: Kathryn Dennis, the former star of the reality show ‘Southern Charm', has denied any role in a hit-and-run incident that injured a deputy sheriff outside a school in October 2023.
The 32-year-old’s 2022 Ford SUV was identified as the vehicle that struck the officer and fled the scene, but Dennis claimed she never left her home that day.
Investigators found fresh damage on Dennis’s SUV
According to RadarOnline, internal documents revealed that investigators found fresh damage on Dennis’s SUV, as well as a photo of her license plate taken by a witness at the scene.
The details were obtained from an email correspondence among South Carolina Highway Patrol officials, highlighting their handling of media attention following the noteworthy incident.
The deputy, who sustained injuries to her hand and foot, was able to obtain a partial license plate of the SUV, and a witness took the initiative to "chase down the Bronco and secure the full tag."
The SUV was subsequently found at Dennis's residence, where she informed the trooper that neither she nor her vehicle had left the property throughout the day.
"She showed him her vehicle which matched the description given, the tag number matched, and the vehicle matched the one seen on the school video,” stated an email from Lt Chadwich A Pearson, the executive officer at Troop 6 which patrols the Moncks Corner area, according to the outlet.
Surveillance video showed Kathryn Dennis's vehicle was involved
The documents also stated that investigators obtained surveillance videos from nearby businesses that captured the gray SUV passing by, but they were not clear enough to identify the driver.
“At this time there is sufficient evidence to say that is the vehicle involved but there is insufficient evidence to place a driver behind the wheel at this time,” the email stated.
Dennis "claimed neither her nor her vehicle had left the property all day,” the email stated.
“There appeared to be fresh damage on the passenger’s side mirror consistent with striking the stop sign that was in the Deputy’s hand.”
According to the report, Dennis claimed that her "vehicle did have damage on it, but all the damage was from previous incidents."
Deputy Ward suspected celebrity influence
Deputy Ward, aged 40, who was directing traffic in front of Whitesville Elementary School when struck by the SUV, voiced her frustration that the investigation had come to a standstill.
She told RadarOnline in December that she wondered if Dennis’s celebrity status and her family’s political connections had anything to do with it.
“I don’t know if it’s because she’s a local celebrity or actress or it’s because of the family that she is connected to or if it’s just they don’t want to,” Ward said.
“I don’t know if they just feel that they don’t have enough - I don’t know. I would like to know why just for my own sanity to know why they haven’t done anything.”
