The video broadcast by the local outlet shows Coleman’s arm swinging in Culbreath’s direction just as he instructed her to leave his office, per WRDW.
Culbreath’s lawsuit, filed on Oct. 16, states that she was struck by Coleman multiple times and that another worker in the office had to intervene to separate them after yelling, “Mr. Gerry, stop!”
Coleman resigned from his position shortly after the incident, but Culbreath says that he has yet to face adequate punishment for his actions. Her lawsuit names both Coleman and Edgefield County. Moneywise reached out to both for comment, but didn’t hear back in time for publication.
Aftermath of the incident
Following the alleged attack, Culbreath went to the hospital, where she was diagnosed with multiple injuries, including a black eye and a facial contusion, according to the lawsuit. The complaint also says Edgefield County took no further action against Coleman after his resignation, and she never received an apology.
“There was never any acknowledgement of wrong by the tax assessor, and the county essentially ratified his explanation of everything because they announced publicly that they agreed with his version of the facts,” Culbreath’s lawyer, Tyler Bailey, said in a press conference.
Edgefield county’s response to the incident was to stand by Coleman who said that he did not strike Culbreath. Instead, county officials said he pushed the phone out of his face.
In January 2026, Coleman’s counsel said that he had made arrangements with Edgefield County police to enter South Carolina’s pre-trial intervention program, which he has since completed. PTI is intended for first-time, non-violent offenders, and those who complete the program can have their criminal record expunged.
However, Culbreath and her lawyer argue that if the situation were reversed, a regular citizen assaulting a government official would not be given the opportunity to enter the PTI program.
How lawsuits against multiple defendants work
If you believe you’ve been assaulted, it’s common to seek damages in the form of financial compensation or other means. Knowing how to do that can get complicated when there are multiple people you deem at fault for the harm you’ve endured.
