FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 27, 2002
CONTACT: SID GAULDEN, 803-896-8755

COLUMBIA – The South Carolina Department of Public Safety today named L/Cpl. Wesley Hiott as the Highway Patrol District Three Trooper of the Year at the annual Employee Recognition Ceremony.

District Three includes Anderson, Greenville, Oconee, Pickens and Spartanburg counties. Hiott joined the Highway Patrol in 1991 assigned to York County until transferring to Greenville County in 1992.

Hiott has completed training in a number of enforcement areas including ACE training and Driving Under the Influence Detection Training. He continues to lead Greenville County in DUI arrests.

In January 2001, Hiott made a traffic stop on Interstate 85 in Greenville County. He detected the odor of marijuana and the violator pulled a small bag of marijuana from his pocket and handed it to Hiott. He then proceeded to search the car and found a large garbage bag behind the driver’s seat containing 20 large bags of marijuana with a combined weight of 9,214 grams. The driver and passenger were arrested and charged with trafficking marijuana.

"L/Cpl. Hiott leads by example and is committed to the safety of the motoring public by enforcing the laws fairly and assertively," said Highway Patrol Col. Mike Kelley. "He distinguishes himself as a courteous, trustworthy and efficient trooper who can be called on anytime for an assignment."

The Simpsonville native and his wife Allison and daughters Sydney, 5, and Taylor, 12, reside in Simpsonville. He is a member of the South Carolina Troopers Association and is a member of Trinity United Methodist Church.

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SI/47/2002

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