A Clarendon County employee who was set to retire on Tuesday was assaulted overnight Monday in the Clarendon County administrative building.
Betty Pritchard, an administrative clerk to the Clarendon County Council, was reportedly cleaning out her office shortly after midnight when she was attacked. Police Chief Blair Shaffer said the attack happened after Pritchard called her husband from the office. She was packing up to take home her personal items in anticipation of her retirement on Wednesday.
Pritchard who may have been unconscious for a period of time, was unable to call 911 until about 4:30 a.m. When police arrived, they found the doors to the offices locked and officers had to kick their way in.
Pritchard was transported to Clarendon Memorial Hospital, where she was initially treated, then flown to Palmetto Health Richland in Columbia. She suffered a broken arm, a severed fingertip and head injuries.
