South Carolina Cops Hit With DUI, Gun Charges

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

An Upstate South Carolina police chief is staying tight-lipped after terminating a patrol sergeant — known for her alcohol-friendly fitness tips and revealing online selfies — following her arrest over the weekend.

Though the Anderson Police Department (APD) eventually acknowledged the incident, the firing marked the second time this summer one of its officers has been arrested for alleged criminal conduct.

The latest incident unfolded around 9:47 p.m. EDT on Sunday (July 13, 2025), when a 2021 Jeep Wrangler allegedly veered off Main Street Extension West in Greenwood County and struck a telephone pole, a ditch and a culvert, according to the S.C. Highway Patrol (SCHP).

The Ware Shoals Police Department (WSPD) initially responded to the scene but requested SCHP, which handles traffic collisions. A trooper arrived by 10:03 p.m. EDT, according to the agency.

The driver of the Jeep — identified as 28-year-old Shelby Millington — allegedly smelled of alcohol, according to the responding trooper.

Millington, then a patrol sergeant with Anderson PD, declined a field sobriety test and was subsequently charged with first-offense DUI. She later refused a Datamaster breath test at the Greenwood County Detention Center, according to SCHP.

***

***

By 2:14 p.m. EDT the following afternoon (Monday, July 14, 2025), judicial records showed Millington was released from the county jail on a $992 personal recognizance bond set by magistrate Carson Henderson.

Prior to joining Anderson PD in November 2018, Millington worked at the nearby Greenville County Detention Center for just over five months, according to state records (.pdf).

She eventually rose to the rank of patrol sergeant — a supervisory role typically responsible for overseeing shifts and approving incident reports. While holding this position, Millington cultivated a social media presence as a fitness-focused first responder – offering workout tips and health advice to fellow officers.

Her content frequently featured her in uniform — as well as in minimal athletic wear — showcasing an assortment of tattoos across her arms and shoulders.

As for what she claimed made her “different” from other fitness influencers?

***

***

According to posts from her now-disabled Facebook, Instagram and TikTok accounts, Millington insisted there was no need to give up the things you loved while losing weight — including alcohol — so long as you were hitting your fitness goals.

“I drink beer and I’m not a square. KIDDING… kinda,” she posted to social media this past January. “I love all my fitness people… but it’s okay to enjoy a few beers if you’re hitting your goals 80/20. It’s all about balance, not perfection… P.S. — don’t cancel me.”

The post was accompanied by a boomerang-style clip of Millington tipping back a bottle of Bold Rock apple cider.

Mixed in with posts about off-duty workouts and on-duty policing was even more revealing content — including bikini-clad booty photos of Millington, images of her holding one-dollar bills in a nightclub, and a post captioned as a lap dance on fellow officer Kathryn Kratz.

***

***

Despite the patrol sergeant’s arrest, it took FITSNews three days, four phone calls, and multiple emails to obtain confirmation of Millington’s employment status from Anderson PD. When the response finally came, it arrived in a single-line email from Chief Jim Stewart:

“Millington – Patrol Sergeant – Terminated.”

Millington’s quiet termination stands in stark contrast to the last Anderson PD officer arrested on criminal charges — who remains employed even after her arrest.

Just four weeks earlier, officers with the Wellford Police Department (WPD) — which FITSNews previously exposed for hiring a female officer despite recordings of her appearing to admit to selling marijuana and cocaine — responded to a reported road rage incident on Interstate 85.

Upon arrival, officers found two damaged vehicles pulled off Highway 29 at Spartanburg Road. According to an incident report, 33-year-old Paige Newell was accused by the other driver of brandishing a firearm and pointing it at their vehicle while traveling on Interstate 85.

***

***

“The car Newell took aim at was occupied by three people, including two children who were visibly distressed from the incident,” WYFF TV-4 (NBC – Greenville/Spartanburg) reported at the time. “The victim then followed Newell to provide officers with her location.”

After both vehicles pulled into the parking lot, Newell allegedly backed into the victim’s car, according to incident reports. She later admitted to the collision — but claimed she only reversed because she was blocked in, according to local media coverage.

Newell denied pulling a gun, reportedly telling officers she “knew better.”

Later that evening, the rookie officer was charged with pointing and presenting a firearm and booked into the Spartanburg County Detention Center. She was released the following morning on a $5,000 personal recognizance bond set by an unnamed magistrate, according to judicial records.

***

Newell, who didn’t enter South Carolina law enforcement until her 30s, joined Anderson PD in June 2023 and graduated from the state’s criminal justice academy that December, according to state records (.pdf) and social media.

Within just five months of becoming law enforcement certified, she was one of four recipients awarded a $1,000 scholarship to help cover tuition and books while attending the Command College of South Carolina, Anderson Campus.

“Attorney General Alan Wilson joined in applauding her for her achievements,” Anderson PD wrote in a Facebook post following an on-campus appreciation banquet — at which Newell received the award. “Congratulations!!”

***

***

At the time of her arrest in June 2025, Newell had been certified as a law enforcement officer for just 18 months.

Despite her relatively short tenure, Newell remains on “administrative leave,” according to Stewart — a confirmation that followed unanswered questions about Millington and required multiple follow-ups.

Stewart did not specify whether Newell’s leave is paid or unpaid.

FITSNews has since submitted a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request seeking disciplinary records for both Millington and Newell.

***

***

Despite two officers being arrested within weeks of each other, obtaining even basic information from Anderson PD proved unusually difficult — reflecting a broader pattern of transparency issues within public agencies across South Carolina.

This story may be updated.

***

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.

***

WANNA SOUND OFF?

Got something you’d like to say in response to one of our articles? Or an issue you’d like to address proactively? We have an open microphone policy! Submit your letter to the editor (or guest column) via email HERE. Got a tip for a story? CLICK HERE. Got a technical question or a glitch to report? CLICK HERE.