Summerville man sentenced for attempting to kill Charleston Co. deputy

ST. GEORGE, S.C. (WCSC) - A Summerville man has learned how long he will spend in prison for pleading guilty to two charges after a 2020 pursuit led to a deputy-involved shooting.

Albert Scott III, 26, will spend 24 years in prison without parole after his conviction on charges of attempted murder and possession of a weapon of a violent crime, according to First Circuit Solicitor David Pascoe.

Scott pleaded guilty to the charges right before jury selection, Pascoe said.

The charges stem from a Feb. 13, 2020, deputy-involved shooting in which Scott was accused of trying to kill Charleston County Deputy Robert Haslip.

Deputies responded to a reported domestic disturbance at a North Charleston-area home in which Scott was armed with a rifle, prosecutors said.

A “be on the lookout” alert was dispatched to surrounding agencies with a description of Scott’s vehicle.

Haslip spotted Scott’s vehicle on Highway 78 at Blue House Road. When he attempted to pull the vehicle over, Scott failed to stop, leading Haslip on a chase reaching speeds of more than 115 mph.

Prosecutors say Scott ran red lights and drove into oncoming traffic, eventually stopping his vehicle in Dorchester County and a foot chase began. Scott had armed himself with an assault rifle equipped with a 72-round magazine, prosecutors said.

Haslip momentarily lost sight of Scott, but then saw him lying on the ground pointing the rifle at him.

Scott fired one shot, barely missing the deputy, Haslip said.

“I felt like I could feel the bullet pass by my head,” Haslip testified during the sentencing hearing. “I knew I was outgunned. My vest would not have stopped that weapon. I had no choice, so I fired.”

Haslip fired three times striking Scott, who fell to the ground, but continued to scan using an attached laser, deputies said.

Scott fired another round before eventually surrendering, deputies said. Investigators said they believe Scott’s rifle malfunctioned, leading him to surrender.

Pascoe said Scott has prior convictions for pointing and presenting and accessory after the fact to armed robbery.

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