Goose Creek officer cleared in shooting of robbery suspect

Date: 2/22/2008

By Andy Paras

The Post and Courier

Friday, February 22, 2008

Authorities have cleared a Goose Creek police officer in the shooting of a robbery suspect last month.

Sgt. Joshua Battista shot Robert Batchelor, 44, on Jan. 29 after Batchelor nearly hit the officer with his car after an early morning robbery at the Circle K convenience store at 1306 Red Bank Road.

Ninth Circuit Solicitor Scarlett Wilson spoke to a State Law Enforcement Division agent about the shooting at length and reviewed the tape of the incident taken from Battista's dashboard camera.

The officer acted "reasonably and lawfully," Wilson wrote in a letter to SLED Agent Michele China on Wednesday. Attorney Andy Savage, who represented Battista, said the video showed the officer's actions were consistent with what he said happened.

Batchelor is being held at the Berkeley County jail on charges of armed robbery, assault and battery with intent to kill and failure to stop for blue lights.

Authorities said Battista joined Berkeley deputies who responded to a robbery call at the convenience store at 1:42 a.m.

The officer saw the suspect get into a white Ford Escort and pursued. The pursuit ended about half a mile away at the intersection of Plainfield Avenue and Cranford Road, just off Red Bank Road.

Police say the suspect drove between two houses on Cranford Road. The driver of the Escort put the car into reverse and backed toward the police car and officer, who was outside the car. The officer fired his gun, striking the driver.

A female passenger in the car also was charged with armed robbery.

Reach Andy Paras at 745-5891 or aparas@postandcourier.com.