Former SC state trooper charged with impersonating an officer in Spartanburg
The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division is charging a former state trooper from Spartanburg for impersonating a police officer after he was no longer on the job.
According to warrants provided by SLED, Tyler Lane Rogers, 25, threatened to arrest an individual for parking in a handicapped space at the Waters Edge apartments located at 801 Aqua Springs Drive in Spartanburg on August 19. Rogers was charged with impersonating law enforcement and non-aggravated breach of peace, both misdemeanors, by SLED on Dec. 18.
During the incident in August, Rogers "aggressively" approached the victim wearing a blue, labeled "State Trooper" vest and armed with a gun. He threatened to arrest the individual for parking in a handicapped space, according to warrants provided by SLED.
Kyle McGahee, a representative with SCDPS, said that the agency was informed on Dec. 18 of Rogers' arrest, but confirmed that Rogers had been previously terminated on July 20 for "performance-related issues."
McGahee told the Herald-Journal that Rogers was employed by SCDPS for approximately four years, first as a Highway Patrol trooper from Oct. 2019 to April 16, 2022 and then later as a state transport police officer from April 17, 2022 to July 20, 2023.
Transport police officers specialize in enforcing federal and state laws pertaining to commercial motor vehicles, but also regularly enforce state traffic laws for non-commercial drivers. Rogers was assigned to STP Region 3, which includes Spartanburg County.
Following the Aug. 19 incident at Waters Edge, Rogers was employed for three days with the Wellford Police Department from Aug. 23-25. He was fired from Wellford PD for not disclosing his "interaction with law enforcement" days prior, according to his CJA file.
Wellford PD did not respond to a phone call requesting comment.
Chalmers Rogland covers public safety for the Spartanburg Herald-Journal and USA Today Network. Reach him via email at crogland@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Herald-Journal: Former Spartanburg state trooper charged with impersonating an officer
