SLED releases details on arrest of Councilwoman and son

A 78-year-old Darlington City Councilwoman and her son are facing assault charges stemming from separate incidents that reportedly targeted the same victim, authorities announced this week.

The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) confirmed that Elaine R. Reed, 78, a sitting member of the Darlington City Council, and her son Lorand Clayton Reed, 54, were both charged on May 1 following incidents that occurred last October.

According to arrest warrants released by SLED, Elaine Reed faces a third-degree assault and battery charge after an incident on October 5, 2024. Investigators allege that Reed scratched the victim’s face and continued swinging her arms at him until a bystander intervened at a location on Timmonsville Highway.

In another related incident the following day, Lorand Reed was charged with second-degree assault and battery. Arrest documents state that on October 6, 2024, Reed allegedly grabbed the same male victim by the neck and repeatedly shoved him against a vehicle during a conversation that escalated to violence. The victim reportedly suffered four fractured ribs as a result of the altercation.

The Darlington Police Department confirmed that the same individual was victimized in both incidents, though authorities have not disclosed any potential motive or whether there was a prior relationship between the Reeds and the victim.

Both suspects were booked into the Darlington County Detention Center following their arrests. Court records indicate Elaine Reed was released on a $500 bond, while her son was released after posting a $2,500 bond.

The investigation was turned over to SLED at the request of both the Darlington Police Department and the Darlington County Sheriff’s Office. The cases will be prosecuted by the 12th Circuit Solicitor’s Office.