Flock LPR False Hit Leads to Gunpoint Stop and Federal Lawsuit

In February 2024, Steven Melvin, an Iraq War veteran, was stopped at gunpoint in Lake Wylie, South Carolina, after a Flock Safety license plate reader misread one letter on his plate, flagging his car as stolen. Deputy Kyle Brogden held him at gunpoint for over five minutes while verifying the error. Internal records show the cameras had correctly read the same plate 13 times before. Melvin was released, no charges filed. On June 29, 2026, he filed suit in state court; the case was removed to federal court. The sheriff’s office seeks dismissal, arguing ‘a mistake of fact leading to a seizure under the Fourth Amendment does not amount to a Constitutional violation.’ The case is pending in federal court.