Former Olanta police officer charged with arson
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By Jamie Rogers
Morning News Reporter
Published: July 17, 2008
A former Olanta police officer was arrested after deputies said he set fire to his mother’s car because he didn’t want to repair it, Florence County Sheriff Kenney Boone said.
Robert Brendon Smith, 28, of 428 Chester Road is charged with third-degree arson and filing a false report, Boone said.
Deputies said Smith and his neighbor, 40-year-old James David Morris of 439 Chester Road, set fire July 8 to a 2001 Dodge Dakota on Johnnie Lee Road in Coward, Boone said.
Investigators said the next day, Smith called central dispatch and reported the car stolen. When deputies arrived, Smith filed an incident report and signed an affidavit stating that he didn’t have anything to do with the vehicle disappearance, Boone said.
Arson investigators later found the truck and discovered that it had intentionally been set on fire by someone using an accelerant, the sheriff said.
The car was registered to Smith’s mother, but was routinely used by Smith and his wife.
Deputies think the suspects destroyed the vehicle because it needed some repairs to its transmission, Boone said.
Olanta Police Chief Mark Strickland said Smith resigned from the department Wednesday.
Smith was employed at the department for about 10 months, Strickland said.
Smith was released from the jail in Effingham on Thursday after posting a $5,000 person recognizance bond.
Morris, who also is charged with third-degree arson, remains custody awaiting a bond hearing.
The Olanta Police Department now has two officers, excluding the chief.
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Reader Reactions
Posted by ( concerned45 ) on July 23, 2008 at 10:44 pm
(smstric)? I am confused by your enties. In one you said he didnt do this and in another you say he wasnt in uniform when he did this. I know this family also and I have learned the hard way that you really dont know anyone but yourself . I am not saying he did this , but I am saying justice should be the same for everyone. Sacrifises are something alot of people have to do to better themselves but that doesnt give anyone the right to break the law. Just say it like it is “ If guilty , dont let the uniform keep him from paying for his crimes , no more than a man in rags for stealing to feed himself. “ Wrong is Wrong no matter how you spell it .I feel for his wife and kids because they will pay a price also if he is found guilty , but he is the one to blame for that not the ones that just want justice to prevail.Also you said he was covering for a friend, a friend wouldnt let him cover if he was a true friend.LIfe throws everyone plenty of lemons but most think before they act , what is gonna happen if i go through with this. I agree with the person who wrote , Robbie would have arrested another person for this same thing if he had been someone else , so why should he get off if he is found guilty. Everyone preaches we want justice but when it happens to our friend or relative we want them to be treated different , that isnt justice .
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Posted by ( angelswalk ) on July 23, 2008 at 9:29 am
Have to make this comment!
GUILT-TRIPPING DOES NOT WORK ON ME ANYMORE!
I know that is one sign of a person who refuses to take responsibility for their own actions.
That is one sign of abusiveness/bullying!
The tears, I only believe them when they are genuine! I think I have my own instincts back now, at least getting them back!
I am so beyond that, make your guilt-tripping remarks to someone who will be intimidated by them.
Make them to people who are still ignorant.
I’m sure you will find some who can be bullied still into silence.
So, he is covering up for someone!
So, he put on the uniform without the intent of holding himself to higher standards!
So, now when his actions are in question we all better ‘listen up’ and leave him alone!
So, he is human. Sure he is human. We know that!
And why should his name and address not be listed?
Anyone else’s would have been listed. Maybe there is someone who needs to know this so they can speak out also.
He should have no one out for ‘revenge’ against him unless he has conducted himself improperly in other ways. (oh, I know there are crazies out there, do anything just for meanness.)
I don’t believe we are judging him, just making honest comments which we are intitled to make.
Comments are better than downright rudeness and trying to deflect from what is in front of us.
Or better yet, as one poster, put the blame on others!
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Posted by ( smstric ) on July 23, 2008 at 8:21 am
I agree with you.Its like i said cops are not allowed to be human beings.Just put on public display for everyone to think the worst of.
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Posted by ( if u must know????? ) on July 22, 2008 at 4:29 pm
My comment is this! The ones who comments on these things and dont know the entire story need to listen up! First of all whatever happened to innocent until proven guilty. I know the family personally and I know for a fact that Robbie took the blame for someone else. And why dont u go ahead and just and put all law enforcement names and addresses in the paper so all the people wanting revenge on them can come hurt them or their family. Yea i have something to say about kenny boone and it is that jimmy gregg will always be the best sheriff that florence county has ever had! Also kenny is the type of person it is what u can do for him not what he can do for u!!!!
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Posted by ( smstric ) on July 22, 2008 at 9:52 am
I just wonder if was the pressure behind his job that made him do this.Because cops dont make much money.Olanta doesnt pay thier cops no were near enough money.The finical strain i think was to much.But he still could have turn it in to the bank instead of burning it.Instead of ruining his credit he ruined his life.
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Posted by ( angelswalk ) on July 22, 2008 at 9:07 am
I do know good officers.
I THINK I do anyway!
I would certainly hope the man wasn’t IN uniform when he did this, but so many are IN UNIFORM when they do their deeds.
I just don’t understand why when it comes out, you still have people protecting the wrong ones.
Don’t we all want to see our city, county and state run properly?
Don’t we want all our citizens to feel safety and some guarantee of justice? Then stop defending the weak minded and defend those who have no defense against them!
They should be thinking of their ‘families’ when they go and deliberately do these things against themselves, their vows, ‘their’ families.
Some make it where the families feel obligated for some reason to stand behind the crime! How sad! And warped!
It is their responsibility, not mine to feel bad for them now.
THEY did it to themselves.
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Posted by ( concerned45 ) on July 21, 2008 at 8:40 pm
The way I see this situation is that no one is above the law. Never say Never thats is exactly what will happen . As far as the comment” think about his wife and kids” , the way I see it , he should have thought about his wife and kids before doing this, if he did what he is accussed of. No one can make anyone do anything they do not what to do themselves . We expect children to do make mistakes that are foolish, but we expect adults to think of the consequences.All I am saying is that , our officails should pay for their crimes the same as everyday people. No one is above the law , not even the law itself.When the ones that are suppose to protect, serve and make life a safer place for all of us do wrong , what makes us respect them and trust them anymore.It doesnt matter how good a person is , if they break the law they are just as quilty as anyone else.
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Posted by ( CitizenRights ) on July 21, 2008 at 5:06 pm
I have tried to change things myself. You would be surprised at the responses from the FCSD and others. No one really wants to hear about some of the corruption and bad seeds. It is like family gossip that no one wants to hear about and forgets about soon as you say something. I do feel bad for Mr. Smith because he was breaking the law and should have to pay for that. There are current some officers that are doing a lot worse and affecting a lot of families. It is sad when anyone breaks the law, but I agree with angelswalk, anyone that puts on the uniform and takes the oath should hold themselves at a higher standard than a normal citizen. With that said, a criminal record is permanent even after you pay for a crime.
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Posted by ( smstric ) on July 21, 2008 at 9:06 am
May be you dont realize robbie was not in uniform when commited this.Granted he does have to pay for his crime but cops are allowed to be human beings every now and again.you may not know any honest cops but there some.
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Posted by ( angelswalk ) on July 20, 2008 at 8:58 pm
What smstric?
We don’t know him! Leave him alone. Thank God he is one I don’t know.
When you train and then put on that uniform, I believe it is that person’s intent to hold him/herself to a higher standard.
I didn’t make that rule.
When it happens to you or someone you know, SOME want to cry out but you don’t know him. I know enough to know if someone else had done this, they wouldn’t get any special treatment; This guy robbie as you call him, would have been the first to put that person in jail and may have or NOT treated that person like a human being. I know how some of these guys will curse and treat the ones they arrest, like sub humans.
Show me an officer who truly does his job and I’ll show you an officer I will gladly show respect to now. Show me a person who has respect for themselves, I will treat that person fairly. I used to show respect to anyone, but that has most definitely changed. Now I will show you indifference or mistrust, when you show me you deserve nothing better.
No matter WHAT this guy did, there would be people coming out saying, ‘Don’t judge him, you don’t know him, he is a good guy’.
He burned a vehicle. He would have put others in jail for that. And his mind had to have been there for him to burn the vehicle. Even for a second.
How about we all quit protecting these guys [who are human]. If they do the crime, LET THEM DO THEIR TIME.
I bet I still know someone who has done a heck of a lot more time and punishment for nothing than he or others like him will do for some big somethings!
We would be talking even if he hadn’t worn that uniform, That is just an added shame.
Thank God the we are opening our eyes and not keeping our heads in that sand any longer!
No one is without sin, some of us just try to make ourselves and our lives better.
Try protecting the ones who need protection.
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