Danville man accused of impersonating dead South Carolina deputy

Just after 4 a.m. on June 29, an Anderson County deputy pulled over a truck traveling on U.S. Highway 127, according to a criminal complaint.

The deputy said that Wendell Dean, 66, of Danville, pulled out what appeared to be a sheriff’s badge, said he worked in South Carolina, and was previously a corrections officer in Jefferson County.

Dean was supposedly seen with a Dillon County Sheriff’s Office shirt hanging in his truck during the stop, the complaint noted. After making contact with both agencies, both denied recognizing Dean.

After further investigation, the sheriff’s office found that the shirt and badge were taken from the home of a deputy who died five years ago. Officials in DCSO said they were investigating whether the badge and shirt were misplaced or if they were stolen from the late deputy’s home.

The arresting officer also said it was found that Dean had a warrant out of Jefferson County.

He was charged with impersonating a peace officer and booked into the Franklin County Regional Jail.

Records show he’s being held on a $5,000 bond.