2 Leesville residents caught with meth

Lexington County deputies arrested 2 people last month after responding to a call about someone sleeping in a truck stop parking lot.

Patrick Keith Gladden, 47, and Serena Ann McBee, 35, are charged with trafficking meth and altering pseudoephedrine, according to arrest warrants.

“We received a call to check on someone sleeping in the truck stop parking lot at I-20 and Longs Pond Road,” Lexington County Sheriff Jay Koon said. “We determined Gladden was the man asleep in the car and he was at the truck stop with McBee.”

Agents located 3 one-pot meth labs in Gladden’s truck during their investigation, according to Koon.

“Deputies found drug paraphernalia and other items used in the production of meth,” Koon said.

Deputies arrested Gladden and McBee at the truck stop and transported them to the Lexington County Detention Center. They have been released after meeting conditions of their bond.

SLED investigates inmate death

A man has died while incarcerated in the Lexington County Detention Center.

The inmate has been identified as Leon Russell Black, 36, according to

Lexington County Coroner Margaret Fisher.

“Lexington County deputies arrested Mr. Black Feb. 19 on a state probation violation,” Lexington County Sheriff Jay Koon said. “He was transported to the detention center and booked in shortly after 7 am.”

Black was found unresponsive in his bunk inside a cell early Monday morning, according to Koon.

“In accordance with our policy, SLED is investigating Mr. Black’s death,” Koon said.

Fire damages W. Cola apartments

Multiple emergency crews responded to a Sunday evening fire at the Riverbanks Retreat Apartments.

No injuries were reported, but multiple pets were rescued by fire crews, the Chronicle’s Terry Ward reported.

Units from the West Columbia Fire Department, City of Cayce Public Safety, Lexington County Fire Services, the Irmo Fire District and Columbia Fire Department were dispatched to 1035 Comanchee Trail for a structure fire at approximately 6:30 pm Sunday.

Upon arrival, West Columbia Fire Department firefighters found heavy flames coming from Building G at the Riverbanks Retreat Apartments. A second alarm was immediately called to help fight the blaze.

9 of the 12 total units in the building were occupied. The displaced families are receiving assistance from the Columbia-Area Red Cross Chapter.

The fire was put under control within approximately 50 minutes of units arriving on the scene. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation.

Another catalytic converter thief caught

A 911 call about a suspicious vehicle Feb. 28 led Lexington County deputies to a Saint Andrews Road business where a man is accused of stealing catalytic converters.

Rudolph Edward Myers, 50, is charged with 2 counts of breaking into a motor vehicle, tampering with a vehicle and possession of meth, according to detention center records.

“A deputy found Myers in a business parking lot in the process of jacking up a car,” Lexington County Sheriff Jay Koon said Sunday. “The deputy found a saw and numerous blades in Myers’ truck. The deputy also found a freshly cut catalytic converter in the truck’s toolbox.”

Myers was arrested on the scene and transported to the Lexington County Detention Center. He’s been released after meeting the conditions of his bond

$114 million ruled against Lexington firm

A Lexington-based marketing firm has lost a federal lawsuit worth $114 million.

Floyd Calhoun “Cal” Dent, III, of Lexington, and his 2 co-conspirators were found liable for defrauding the federal healthcare programs Medicare and Tricare.

Acting US Attorney for the District of South Carolina M. Rhett DeHart announced United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit has affirmed a $114 million judgment the defendants.

The United States argued that Dent’s marketing firm BlueWave violated the federal Anti-Kickback Statute. The US claimed BlueWave induced its sales representatives to sell as many blood tests as possible and specialty labs Health Diagnostics Laboratory, Inc. and Singulex, Inc. paid commissions to Dent’s marketing firm for the sales.

The jury agreed, and now the Fourth Circuit has affirmed the jury’s verdict in a published opinion.

No injuries in Lake Murray fire

Lexington County firefighters responded to an early morning house fire off Lake Murray Friday.

There were no injuries reported, but 3 people were displaced.

Firefighters were dispatched to the fire in the 2100 block of Shull Ave just after 3 am. Water shuttle, ladder attack and hand lines were utilized to combat the fire.

The home suffered significant damage. The occupants were alerted to the fire after their smoke alarms woke them up.

Missing Lexington woman found

A woman reported missing last Wednesday night in Lexington was found the next night.

The Lexington Police Department was looking for Linda Holden. She left an assisted care facility on Addy Lane in Lexington.

She was found at a business in the 5600 block of Sunset Blvd., in Lexington around 4 pm Thursday LPD reported online.

She was evaluated by EMS to make sure she is okay, LPD reported.

Catalytic converter hoarder arrested

Lexington County deputies arrested a man Tuesday after he was found with more than 80 catalytic converters.

Curtis Sebastian Crummie, 41, is charged with 85 counts of felony property crimes in connection with the catalytic converters and a stolen truck and trailer he was using, according to arrest warrants.

“We were called about a suspicious vehicle near the intersection of Shirway and Old Barnwell roads,” Lexington County Sheriff Jay Koon said. “Someone spotted the catalytic converters in the bed of the truck and knew that didn’t look right.”

“The catalytic converters were reported stolen from a metal recycling shop in Orangeburg County; the truck and trailer were stolen from an adjacent business,” Koon said.