Dinner, auction to benefit injured North Charleston officer

A spaghetti benefit dinner and silent auction are planned for Saturday on behalf of a North Charleston police officer who was wounded by gunfire last month.

Officer David Winslette was shot in his chest and leg Jan. 14 while following up on a call about a man stealing an iPad. Winslette saw a man who fit the thief's description leaving a gas station on Dorchester Road, with two other men, and when the officer approached, four shots were fired at him, police said.

Winslette radioed for help as a store manager came to his aid and the three suspects ran from the parking lot. Police later arrested Timothy Darrell Johnson Jr., 25, of Martha Drive on a charge of attempted murder. Cretion Antonio Patterson, 25, of Hartford Circle and Dontreia Antwon Durant, 33, face charges of being accessories to the crime, for allegedly helping Johnson evade capture.

"Winslette is very fortunate in that he was wearing his protective body armor and his life was spared by this cowardly act. He has a long road to recovery and faces up to a year out of work due to his injuries," a release from the Fraternal Order of Police, Tri-County Lodge # 3, said.

FOP and Winslette's fellow officers are organizing the dinner and silent auction, in which all proceeds will go directly to the injured officer.

The event takes place from 5-9 p.m. Saturday at North Charleston High School gymnasium, 1087 East Montague Avenue in North Charleston. The cost is $10 per person.

Tickets can be obtained in advance from NCPD Officers Matt Woodall and Anthony Dipaolo, or from Hanahan Fine Wine & Spirits at 1238 Yeamans Hall Road, Hanahan. Tickets will also be available at the door.

For event updates, please follow our Facebook event page at: www.facebook.com/#!/events/153336294779356/ or visit the FOP Lodge website at: www.scfop3.org

For more information contact Matt Woodall at mwoodall@scfop3.org or Anthony DiPaolo at anthonysmilsurp@gmail.com.