Family renews call for justice after death of three women killed by former Charleston County deputy

CHARLESTON COUNTY, S.C. (WCBD) – A family renewed their call for answers years after a mother and two daughters were killed when a Charleston County deputy ran a stop sign and crashed into the vehicle carrying the three women.

At the press conference, the Dantzler family voiced frustrations with 9th Circuit Solicitor Scarlett Wilson and how they’ve been treated since the deaths of Stephanie Dantzler and her daughters Shanice and Miranda Dantzler-Williams in that 2022 Mother’s Day crash.

On Tuesday, the family said they want more communication from officials.

“All I can do now is go to the cemetery… keep it clean, keep flowers on it. She (Deputy Emily Pelletier) can go to her family; she can hug them…,” said Betty Simmons, Stephanie’s mother, and Shanice and Miranda’s grandmother. “The pain is still here … three girls at one time. The whole family, that was a family, and it hurts every day.”

Officials determined that Deputy Emily Pelletier was responding to a call when she crashed into the Dantzler vehicle at 73 mph. Pelletier had no lights or sirens on and was driving at a low speed. She had run a stop sign at the intersection of New Road and Highway 17.

Deputy Pelletier was fired and charged with three counts of reckless homicide at the time. She has been out of bond since.

Solicitor Wilson denied the family’s allegations, saying the family agreed to maintain communication with lawyers. Wilson told News 2 that communication is ongoing regarding the case.