Former North Augusta Public Safety officer Justin Craven, 25, was released Wednesday from the Edgefield County detention center on a $20,000 bond.
The detention center verified Craven's release, who was booked Tuesday and charged with discharging a firearm into a vehicle while occupied.
Craven is facing the felony charge following the February 2014 shooting death of 68-year-old Edgefield County resident Earnest Satterwhite Sr.
An Edgefield County jury in August indicted Craven on one count of official misconduct in office - a misdemeanor - but no-billed a charge of voluntary manslaughter.
The latest charge against Craven, brought by the S.C. State Law Enforcement Division, is a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $1,000, or both, according to a statement from SLED.
SLED spokesperson Thom Berry told the Aiken Standard the felony charge was added as an additional charge to the misdemeanor, and the case will be prosecuted by the 11th Circuit Solicitor's Office, which oversees Edgefield County.
A grand jury could hear the felony indictment as early as the end of May, said Donnie Myers, the solicitor with the 11th circuit.
If Craven is indicted on the latest charge, he will face the felony charge and the misdemeanor offense of misconduct in office by a public official.
On the evening of Feb. 9, 2014, Craven, who is white, tried to initiate a traffic stop on Knox Avenue in North Augusta on suspicion of a driving under the influence offense.
Rather than stop, the car, driven by Satterwhite, who is black, sped off, traveling north on U.S. 25 toward Edgefield County, and a pursuit ensued, according to police accounts.
Satterwhite caused two accidents in addition to damage to personal property during the pursuit, police have said. The chase ended in front of Satterwhite's home on Rose Drive in Edgefield.
As Craven approached the vehicle, an altercation reportedly ensued and shots were fired, police said.
Craven did then "unlawfully discharge a pistol into a vehicle occupied by Earnest Satterwhite, killing Satterwhite," according to SLED's arrest warrant for the new charge. The warrant also states that the shooting was recorded on video and that Craven admitted firing the pistol into the vehicle.
The Aiken Standard filed a Freedom of Information Act request Friday to review the dash cam video of the incident.
Just last month, the City of North Augusta agreed to pay nearly $1.2 million to Satterwhite's estate to settle a wrongful-death suit filed by his brother. His brother, Anthony Satterwhite, sued the City of North Augusta, North Augusta Public Safety, Edgefield County and the Edgefield County Sheriff's Office for actual, consequential and punitive damages.
The bulk of the settlement will be paid by North Augusta Public Safety, with $1 million coming from the S.C. Municipal Insurance and Risk Financing Fund and $195,000 being paid by the City of North Augusta. Edgefield County and the Edgefield County Sheriff's Office will pay $2,500.
The order states that $598,750 each will be apportioned to the "survival" and "wrongful death" causes of action.
In exchange for the settlement, Anthony Satterwhite agreed to dismiss all claims against the defendants. The order notes that no liability is admitted by any party.
Craven, who no longer is an officer, has been reassigned to the City of North Augusta's building standards department.
North Augusta City Administrator Todd Glover declined to comment Tuesday on the new felony charge against Craven, but told the Aiken Standard Craven is still employed by the City.
The charges in North Augusta have recently been picked up by national news outlets following the arrest of North Charleston officer Michael Thomas Slager. Slager was charged with murder this week after bystander Feidin Santana recorded video of Slager, who is white, firing eight shots at 50-year-old Walter Lamer Scott's back. Slager has since been fired from the agency and has been charged with murder in the death of Scott, who is black.
Maayan Schechter is the local government reporter with Aiken Standard.
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