A Myrtle Beach man, who was wanted after he was convicted in December of sexually assaulting a 6-year-old, was shot and killed during a confrontation with an Alabama police officer on Friday, according to authorities.
Brent Dotson, 57, was convicted in absentia during a trial in December for first-degree criminal sexual conduct with a minor and lewd act on a minor, according to the 15th Circuit Solicitor's Office. Dotson's sentence was sealed after the trial until he could be located. He had faced up to 25 years in prison and being forced to register as a sex offender.
Dotson died after a confrontation with a Huntsville, Ala., police officer about 8 a.m. Friday, said Sgt. Jeff Benton with the Horry County Sheriff's Office. Dotson was considered the No. 1 most wanted person in Horry County.
Huntsville officers were called about a suspicious person and when they confronted Dotson and questioned him, police said he pulled out a gun and fired a shot, Benton said. Huntsville police returned fire and Dotson was taken to a local hospital where he later died.
Huntsville police are investigating the shooting to determine if Dotson was shot by police or if his injury was self-inflicted, Benton said. Horry County authorities are working with Huntsville authorities on the case.
Copyright 2013 - The Sun News (Myrtle Beach, S.C.)
McClatchy-Tribune News Service
