Oconee County Sheriff’s Office Arrests Seneca Man for Impersonating a Law Enforcement Officer

A Seneca man is out of jail today, on a personal recognizance bond, after being arrested Thursday morning on a charge of Impersonating a Law Enforcement Officer.

40 year old Andrew Jason Elrod, of Brown Farm Road, was taken into custody at his residence just before 5:00am Thursday and released from jail later the same morning on a bond amount of $1,087.50.

An investigation by the Sheriff’s Office began on April 7th of this year after a deputy from the Uniform Patrol Bureau responded to the scene of a traffic accident in the area of Oak Creek Road and Return Church Road near Seneca. The deputy responded due to reports that Elrod had presented a badge to witnesses, at the scene of the accident, who had stopped to check on the welfare of those involved.

Elrod, who was the lone person in the vehicle, told the witnesses that help was coming and that they could leave the scene.

The South Carolina Highway Patrol investigated the accident and Elrod was placed under arrest. Meanwhile, a deputy continued the investigation regarding the presented badge and gathered evidence in the case, including observing the badge in question.

Based upon evidence that was gathered during the investigation, a Deputy obtained an arrest warrant against Elrod for impersonating a law enforcement officer.

Due to the nature of the charges, the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office is asking anyone who may have had previous contact with Elrod in regards to similar circumstances, or in which a badge was presented, to call the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office at 864-638-4111 and to file a report if they choose to do so.

Oconee County Sheriff Mike Crenshaw says that Deputies are instructed to provide their names to those that they come in contact with, as well as the purpose for which the contact is being made, if it is feasible to do so in regards to the incident or call for service. Citizens are welcome to ask to see a Deputy’s identification and badge since some Deputies are dressed in plain clothes, according to Sheriff Crenshaw.