Pond Branch, SC (Paul Kirby) – SC State Troopers took a man into custody Wednesday morning after a long pursuit that began near the 44 Truck Stop and ended near the Graniteville exit in Aiken County. This is about 11 miles away from the Georgia state line.
The suspect never stopped of his own accord. A trooper had to force the fleeing suspect to lose control of the vehicle he was driving to end the long chase. A spokesman for the patrol did not identify the driver but did say they had a long list of charges he would face.
The pursuit began on I-20 west near Exit 44. This is between Boiling Springs and the Pond Branch area of Lexington County. When the initial trooper attempted to stop the suspect’s vehicle, the driver instead sped up, initiating the pursuit. As more troopers caught up with the fleeing vehicle and pursuing trooper to assist, the pursuit crossed the Aiken County line at high speed. Eventually, the lead patrol car was given the go ahead to use a P.I.T. maneuver or Pursuit Intervention Technique to cause the fleeing vehicle to spin out. Troopers then took the suspect into custody without further incident.
A search of the suspect’s vehicle revealed the driver had a quantity of heroin that was sufficient to charge him with trafficking and unlawful possession of a controlled substance. As troopers continued to search, they located a handgun in the vehicle. That bought the driver a charge of unlawful carrying of a handgun and carrying a weapon during the commission of violent crime. Troopers also turned up a small amount of marijuana and charged the suspect with simple possession. Additional charges included driving under suspension and failure to stop for blue lights.
The SCHP did not immediately release the suspect’s name. He was booked into a detention center where he will face a bond hearing at a later date.
