Nationwide — Kartrez Rush, and his wife, Jasmine Scott, who are from Blythewood, South Carolina, say a trooper held them at gunpoint after a false 911 call and handcuffed them in front of their children. The couple is now pursuing a federal civil rights lawsuit over the May 2025 incident.
Rush and Scott were driving through Sumter County in May 2025 after a work event, towing a U-Haul loaded with chairs. They say Trooper Kyle Lyman stopped them on Highway 527, and what they expected to be a routine check quickly escalated.
Rush said he reached for his license and registration but quickly heard shouting and saw officers draw weapons. One of the children inside the truck cried out after seeing officers point guns at the family.
“As I back up towards these police officers the only thing I can think about is what if one of them shot me in front of my kids,” Rush said, according to WACH.
Their three children remained inside the vehicle as officers ordered Rush and Scott to step out with their hands raised and walk backward. Their daughter, Kaitlyn Rush, recorded video during the stop and later said she feared for her parents’ lives.
“I was scared on that day because I didn’t know if my parents were going to be shot and killed,” she said.
Rush said officers did not ask for identification or vehicle documents before placing both him and Scott in handcuffs. He said his focus stayed on his children watching the entire scene unfold.
The stop stemmed from a dispatch call in Clarendon County made by a man identified as Tony Cook, who reported an “active larceny.” Cook claimed a black Dodge dually truck with a white trailer was carrying stolen dirt bikes and a four-wheeler, but records show he did not witness the theft and relied on secondhand information.
Cook also told dispatchers he could not confirm the license plate and only provided a general description of the vehicle. That report was then passed to law enforcement, who located and stopped the family.
Officers searched the U-Haul and found only household items, with no stolen property inside. Rush and Scott were released after the search.
The couple has since filed a federal lawsuit against the South Carolina Department of Public Safety and Trooper Lyman, alleging false imprisonment and civil rights violations.
Their attorney, Tyler Bailey, said the case raises concerns about officers acting on unverified tips during high-risk stops. He added that the family plans to use the legal process to identify the person who made the original report.
The South Carolina Department of Public Safety said it has not been formally served with the lawsuit and does not comment on pending litigation.