Ex-Sheriff Remains on Utility Board After Hit-and-Run Arrest

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A former South Carolina sheriff remains on the board of a regional utility provider after allegedly crashing his truck and fleeing the scene earlier this month.

Last Monday (July 14, 2025), former York County sheriff Kevin R. Tolson, 54, was arrested by the South Carolina Highway Patrol on a single warrant for failing to report a collision. According to a probable cause affidavit, the incident occurred the evening prior on Airport Road in Rock Hill.

While the cause of the crash remains unclear, authorities allege Tolson left the roadway, struck a telephone pole and a fence, and fled before officers arrived.

Sources familiar with the incident provided FITSNews with a photo of a mangled 2022 Ford F-150 Lariat they identified as Tolson’s truck. A Facebook post confirms he owns a vehicle of the same make and model, equipped with matching wheels and tires visible in the image.

Reportedly taken after the crash, the photo shows the truck with its windshield caved in, every passenger-side window blown out, and airbags hanging from both rows. The roof also appears torn back, suggesting the pickup either rolled or sustained a significant overhead impact.

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?? SOURCES: FORMER SHERIFF’S TRUCK AFTER ALLEGED HIT-AND-RUN

According to sources, former York County Sheriff Kevin Tolson was operating this 2022 Ford F-150 Lariat during a single-vehicle crash on Sunday, July 13.

An arrest warrant served the next day alleges Tolson “left the… pic.twitter.com/N5kxbAvGkl

— Andrew Fancher (@RealAndyFancher) July 21, 2025

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Despite the apparent severity of the wreck, authorities say Tolson fled the scene. According to sources, a warrant for his arrest was issued by 9:00 a.m. EDT the following morning.

Within hours, Tolson was booked into the York County Detention Center on a single misdemeanor charge: Failure to report. While his booking information was uploaded alongside that of other inmates, it was missing a mugshot – and taken down almost immediately.

At the time, every other inmate booked into the facility had a mugshot available; Tolson’s was the only one missing.

When FITSNews contacted the detention center that morning to ask about the missing mugshot, a staff member claimed the facility does not release booking photos to the press — then hung up during a follow-up call seeking confirmation of the former sheriff’s arrest.

Later that afternoon, the York County Sheriff’s Office (YCSO) confirmed Tolson’s arrest and release from custody, providing media with a copy of his booking photo. Tolson previously led the agency from 2016 until withdrawing from an uncontested re-election bid in 2024.

In contrast to his previously clean-shaven, bald-headed public image, Tolson appeared visibly unkempt in the mugshot — with overgrown facial hair, tufts of hair along the sides of his head, reddened cheeks and bloodshot eyes.

Judicial records, which were not made available until several days later, showed he was released on a $232.50 personal recognizance bond set by York County Magistrate John Dover.

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Despite the misdemeanor charge and unusual circumstances surrounding his arrest, Tolson continues to serve on the board of trustees for York Electric Cooperative (YEC), a regional utility provider serving more than 67,000 members across parts of the Midlands and Upstate.

According to the cooperative’s website, YEC is not governed by shareholders or stockholders, but by a nine-member board responsible for setting rates, overseeing policies, and managing internal bylaws

A review of the Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine shows Tolson did not appear on YEC’s board of trustees webpage until sometime between April and July 2024 — shortly after he withdrew from an uncontested race for sheriff to co-found an unrelated nonprofit.

Prior to his withdrawal, Tolson’s wife of 27 years filed to run for sheriff — submitting her paperwork just 45 minutes before the March 2024 candidate filing deadline. For a brief period, hers was the only name on the November ballot.

The apparent attempt to pass the office between spouses quickly unraveled, however. Amid public backlash over what many viewed as a bait-and-switch, the York County Republican Party voted to reopen and extend the filing period — triggering a five-way primary and eventual runoff.

Tolson’s wife failed to advance, and the candidate the couple later endorsed also lost the race.

In response to a FITSNews inquiry last week, a YEC spokesperson confirmed Tolson remains an active trustee and shared a press release (.pdf) dated the same day as his arrest.

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“York Electric Cooperative is actively responding to member concern over the arrest of former York County sheriff and current YEC trustee Kevin Tolson,” the release stated. “Leadership is working to address the situation and keep our membership informed.”

While YEC officials said they had not been briefed on the details of Tolson’s arrest, board chairman Rick Sadler emphasized the cooperative remains focused on delivering “safe, affordable and reliable service.”

“We are using this situation as an opportunity to strengthen our dedication to our member-owners,” Sadler added, “and will share pertinent information as soon as it becomes available.”

According to an archived version of the YCSO website, Tolson began his law enforcement career with the agency in the early 1990s. He later served as a special agent with the S.C. State Law Enforcement Division and worked as an investigator for the 16th Circuit Solicitor’s Office.

His arrest marks the second time this year a former South Carolina sheriff has been taken into custody. In February, former Colleton County sheriff Andy Strickland was arrested and charged with domestic violence for a second time.

The following month, Williamsburg County sheriff Stephen Gardner was suspended after being indicted on multiple public corruption charges. That pattern continued in May, when Spartanburg County sheriff Chuck Wright resigned amid a multi-agency criminal investigation.

Whether Tolson will remain on the utility’s board in the wake of his arrest remains unclear.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR…

Andrew Fancher is a Lone Star Emmy award-winning journalist from Dallas, Texas. Cut from a bloodline of outlaws and lawmen alike, he was the first of his family to graduate college which was accomplished with honors. Got a story idea or news tip for Andy? Email him directly and connect with him socially across Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

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