Roll of Honor
William Joseph Werner, IV
Incident
Officer Werner was struck by a car and killed during a roadblock. He and his partner had set up the roadblock at approximately 3:15 AM at the request of other officers who reported a driver was refusing to stop. As the suspect approached, both officers moved away from the vehicle. The suspect initially started to go to the left of the roadblock. When he saw the officers, he turned to the right, left the road, and went across the grassy field. Officer Werner turned to go back to the patrol car for cover when he slipped and fell into the damp grass. As he was rising, he was struck in the chest by the suspect's vehicle and drug underneath for approximately 50 feet. The suspect then backed his car off of Officer Werner and fled the scene. The 23-year-old suspect was arrested at his home a short time later. As deputies took him into custody, he set his dog on one who was bitten. During his time in jail until his trial on January 27, 1992, he was constantly bragging about "having killed a pig." The suspect was convicted of involuntary manslaughter and sentenced to three years in prison. Charges of driving with a revoked license and failure to stop for a blue light and siren that were dropped were reinstated by another judge days later. On September 30, 1992, he was convicted of the charges and sentenced to 5 years. He was paroled in April of 1994. Three months later, he was charged with driving under the influence and driving with a revoked license and returned to prison to serve the remainder of his sentence. Officer Werner was a United States Air Force security police officer veteran and was two days shy of his one-year anniversary with the Westminster Police Department.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife, two sons, parents, and grandmother.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-SC-16C605C5- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- April 2, 2026
- Last updated
- July 23, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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Tributes
I served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Police Officer Werner gave the Westminster Police Department 7 years.
Thank you for your service to the Westminster community, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
William Joseph Werner, IV served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.
Police Officer William Joseph Werner, IV is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In SC, 271 of 438 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 61.9% of this state's fallen. That is 7.7 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. William Joseph Werner, IV's cause is highlighted.
How William Joseph Werner, IV Compares
Offender Outcome
Sentenced to 3 years
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. William Joseph Werner, IV is highlighted in Aug.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. William Joseph Werner, IV was killed by not available.