What’s happening in Lexington County?

Drugs, gun seized in Cayce

A Columbia woman and a West Columbia man were arrested last week after authorities found drugs and a gun in their car.

Tiffanie Jordan Brooks,  35, is charged with trafficking methamphetamine, conspiracy to traffic heroin, possession with intent to distribute a Schedule II controlled substance and possession with intent to distribute a Schedule IV controlled substance, according to arrest warrants.

Robert Carlos Figueroa, 41, is charged with trafficking methamphetamine, trafficking heroin, possession with intent to distribute a Schedule II controlled substance, possession with intent to distribute a Schedule IV controlled substance and possession of a weapon during a violent crime, according to warrants.

County narcotics agents responded Thursday to 12th Street and C Avenue at the request of the Cayce Department of Public Safety, Sheriff Jay Koon said. “Cayce officers had made a traffic stop and found a large amount of drugs.”

The drugs were stashed in multiple locations in the car, along with a handgun, more than $5,000 in cash and more than 12 ounces of meth.

3 from county charged in drug trafficking

A state grand jury has indicted 3 Lexington County residents for drug trafficking.

Benjamin Jamal Johnson, a/k/a Slim, 31, of Batesburg; Shiv Balvant Tailor, 21, of Lexington; and Savannah Lynn Stroud, 20, of Lexington, were charged with trafficking heroin 14-28 grams.

Specifically, the indictment alleged the defendants conspired to deal counterfeit “Roxies” – a mixture of heroin and other substances including fentanyl.

The case was investigated by the grand jury, the Attorney General and the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department.

3 dead in apparent double murder-suicide

3 people are dead following a suspected double murder-suicide last Tuesday in Lexington County.

“Deputies responded to a business on Railroad Avenue Tuesday evening in response to a welfare check and found two bodies with gunshot wounds,” Lexington County Sheriff Jay Koon said.

“Shortly after deputies arrived on that scene, we responded to a call of a shot fired on Mooring Lane.”

Christopher McCutchan and Tammy Ricard were identified by Lexington County Coroner Margaret Fisher as the deceased on Railroad Avenue. She said the body of Heath McCutchan was retrieved from Lake Murray in the 200 block of Mooring Lane late Tuesday night.

“This appears to be a family argument that turned violent and tragic,” Koon said. “Christopher and Heath were brothers who were both associated with the business on Railroad Avenue. Tammy was an employee there. Our hearts go out to the family and employees as they go through this very difficult time.”

Detectives suspect Heath shot Christopher and Tammy to death early Tuesday afternoon and committed suicide on a dock at the lake later in the evening, according to Koon.

Koon said detectives are still working on the case but they are not seeking any other persons of interest associated with the 3 deaths.

19-year-old arrested for shooting at deputy

Lexington County deputies arrested a man accused of firing shots at a marked Sheriff’s Department patrol vehicle with a deputy inside.

Aaron Franklin Lyn Aycock, 19, is charged with discharging a firearm into a vehicle, according to an arrest warrant.

“Aycock fired multiple shots at a marked unit as it approached a home on Casa Dell Road in Gaston early Sunday morning,” Lexington County Sheriff Jay Koon said.

“The deputy, who was not injured, was in the area to conduct a property check. No rounds struck the vehicle, but the deputy said he saw bullets hit the ground right in front of his car.”

Aycock admitted shooting toward the vehicle, but told deputies it was in response to someone shooting at his home, Koon said.

Investigators arrested Aycock Thursday afternoon without incident. He’s being held in the Lexington County Detention Center while he awaits a bond hearing.

Minor causes, flees 4-vehicle collision

The Cayce Department of Public Safety responded to reports of multi-vehicle collisions at the intersection of Knox Abbott Drive and 12th Street Friday.

The involved parties stated that a juvenile attempted to turn left from Knox Abbott onto 12th Street toward West Columbia. An improper turn caused a collision involving 4 vehicles. The juvenile then fled the scene on foot and was located by an officer in a nearby business.

While investigating the collision, our Cayce dispatchers received a “Be On The Look Out” report for a missing juvenile. The report was received from the Pine Ridge Police Department.

The juvenile is in the care of the SC Department of Social Services.

W. Columbia apartment fire

Several crews responded to an apartment fire in West Columbia, Saturday.

The blaze erupted around 4 pm at Riverbend Apartments, 800 N. Lucas Street, off of Sunset Boulevard, the Chronicle’s Terry Ward reported.

A firefighter, involved in the response, was taken to the hospital for evaluation, according to the West Columbia Fire Department. No one else was injured.

In addition to the WCFD, units from the Cayce Fire Department and Lexington Fire Services came to fight the fire.

Officials were working to determine the cause of the fire.