12/22/25 Spartanburg County, SC – Man Steals Spartanburg Patrol Car – Hit Deputy With An Open Door – 100 MPH Police Chase Through Several Counties – Got A Flat Tire And Surrendered – Another Deputy Was In A Crash – Airlifted To Hospital

A man remains in jail after deputies said he stole a deputy’s patrol car and led law enforcement on a chase through several Upstate counties Saturday night.

According to the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office, deputies were called around 9 p.m. to the QuikTrip on Asheville Highway after receiving a report of a person experiencing a mental health episode.

About 45 minutes later, investigators say the individual — identified as 34-year-old William Waters — managed to get into a deputy’s patrol vehicle and drive away.

Officials told 7NEWS Waters had been sitting with a family member in a vehicle while deputies stood by, waiting on next steps.

“In that time, he exited out of that vehicle and gained access to one of our patrol cars,” Lt. Graham McLellan explained.

As Waters drove off, the sheriff’s office said one deputy was hit by the driver’s door and briefly dragged by the car.

“He went to drive away and struck one of our deputy’s and kind of briefly drugged him along the road,” McLellan added. “That deputy was thankfully uninjured.”

Deputies attempted to stop Waters, but he refused to pull over. Officials said they briefly lost sight of the car, but a work phone left inside helped them track the car’s location.

Waters then merged onto Interstate 26, leading deputies through Spartanburg, Laurens, and Newberry counties.

During the chase, authorities said speeds reached more than 100 miles per hour.

During the pursuit, another deputy was injured in a crash near mile marker 53 on I-26. The deputy was airlifted to Spartanburg Regional Medical Center out of precaution. Investigators said the deputy is expected to make a full recovery.

Deputies said the chase ended after a tire on the patrol vehicle blew out, prompting Waters to stop and surrender near mile marker 60 on I-26.

Waters was taken to the hospital for evaluation and later booked into the Spartanburg County Detention Center. Court records indicate he was charged with grand larceny, blue light violations, and driving under the influence.

Officials with the sheriff’s office are reviewing Saturday’s chase, and are determining if systematic changes are needed to prevent a similar incident in the future.

The crash is being investigated by South Carolina Highway Patrol.