Man arrested in kidnapping, assault

Lexington Police have arrested a man they say was involved in a Mar. 2 kidnapping and assault incident.

Joseph Antonio Drafts Sr., 46, of Greenwood, has been arrested for his involvement in an attempted strong arm robbery that left the victim injured.

The victim told officers that Drafts had given him a ride and then assaulted and tried to rob him.

The victim had multiple injuries to his face and head to include a swollen eye socket, cuts and bruising, swelling to the jaw area and blood inside his eyeball.

Drafts, Sr. was arrested at his home by the Greenwood County Sheriff’s Department for the felony charges of attempted strong arm robbery, assault and battery 1st degree and kidnapping.

He is currently being held at the Lexington County Detention Center.

Lexington jail to release some detainees

Lexington County Detention Center will release 7 defendants this week.

More will be released in the coming weeks.

SC Supreme Court Justice Donald Beatty ordered anyone charged with a noncapital crime as the covid-19 response continues “shall be released pending trial on his own recognizance.”

That’s unless the detainee is an unreasonble danger to the community or is an extreme flight risk.

Inmates incarcerated before the outbreak are also affected by the order, Lexington County Sheriff Jay Koon said Thursday.

Sheriff Koon said each release will be handled on the basis of a court order when it comes to who gets out and when.

Gaston man dies in collision

Lexington County Coroner Margaret Fisher has identified the individual who died in a motor vehicle collision in Gaston Mar. 19.

Derek Avery Butler, 56, of Gaston was pronounced dead at the scene due to his injuries.

Butler was traveling southbound when an oncoming vehicle crossed the center line, and the 2 collided. Butler was wearing a seat belt when the incident occurred in the 1000 block of Woodtrail Drive in Gaston.

A passenger in Butler’s vehicle and the other driver, both of whom were wearing seat belts, were transported to an area hospital.

The collision is under investigation by the South Carolina Highway Patrol.

I-20 motorcycle death

Lexington County Coroner Margater Fisher has identified the Gilbert man who died Saturday in a motorcycle collision.

Marco Antonio Miranda-Giron, 26, was driving on I-20 westbound at mile marker 38 when his motorcycle left the right side of the road, hitting several trees and overturning.

Miranda-Giron was pronounced dead at the scene due to his injuries.

The accident is under investigation by the South Carolina Highway Patrol.

Man charged in Gaston attempted murder

Lexington County deputies have arrested and charged a man accused of stabbing a man Thursday night at a Gaston home.

John Darrick Rumph, 49, is charged with attempted murder and possession of a weapon during a violent crime, according to arrest warrants.

Detectives who responded to the scene of the stabbing on G & K Court determined Rumph got into a fight with a man before stabbing him in the leg, Lexington County Sheriff Jay Koon said.

The men also fought at another location approximately 30 minutes before the stabbing, according to Koon.

“The victim was airlifted from the scene with a severe injury,” Koon said. “The first deputy on the scene provided life-saving measures before EMS arrived. His medical team tells us he’s in stable condition after emergency surgery.”

Rumph was arrested at the scene and transported to the Lexington County Detention Center.