news in brief

4 arrested for child porn

4 Lexington County men have been arrested on child pornography charges.

Christopher Michael Dunn, 18, of Gaston, Jerome Antonio Summers, 36, of Cayce, Joseph Matthew Hay, 25, of West Columbia, and Kaden Charles Hylton Rhoades, 19, of Columbia, were arrested on 35 charges connected to the sexual exploitation of minors.

Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force investigators with the Lexington County Sheriff’s Office made the arrests.

Investigators with the Aiken County Sheriff’s Office, Attorney General’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations assisted.

Investigators received separate CyberTipline reports from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) which led them to Dunn, Summers and Rhoades. Investigators state Summers, Hay and Rhoades distributed files of child pornography. Dunn possessed files of child pornography.

Dunn is charged with 9 counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, third degree, a felony offense punishable by up to 10 years imprisonment on each count.

Summers is charged with 1 count of sexual exploitation of a minor, second degree, a felony offense punishable by up to 10 years imprisonment.

Hay is charged with 10 counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, second degree.

Rhoades is charged with 15 counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, second degree.

These cases will be prosecuted by the Attorney General’s Office.

Gaston man arrested following police chase

South Congaree Police arrested a gaston man after a police chase near Platt Springs Road Mar. 20.

Billy Joe Davis was arrested for failure to stop for blue lights, improper tags, driving under suspension, and possession with intent to distribute meth.

He was wanted and on probation for unknown charges.

South Congaree Police Chief Josh Shumpert said Billy Joe Davis was seen leaving a known drug house. The vehicle tags didn’t match the vehicle he was in, which is when police attempted to stop the vehicle and a chase ensued.

The chase started on Highway 302 and ended near Platt Springs Road, officials said. It went on for 6-7 miles, according to Chief Shumpert.

No injuries were reported.

Train fatality at Lois Lane

A Gaston man died after getting hit by a train Mar. 21.

Kenneth W. Zeigler, 59, died at the scene at the intersection of Lois Lane and Chapel Road in West Columbia.

Zeigler, who was deaf since birth, did not hear the train’s warnings that it was approaching from behind him.

The Lexington County Sheriff’s Department is investigating.

Man arrested for

attempted murder

The Orangeburg County Sheriff says a Lexington County man has been charged after a shooting incident that occurred when he confronted his wife’s male friend.

Marcus Glover, 31, was charged with attempted murder.

Glover was denied bond during a hearing on Thursday.

Orangeburg County Sheriff’s investigators were called out on Jan. 5 initially to a Springfield residence after a report of a shooting. However, investigators were diverted to a Neeses location where a man was said to have driven himself after being shot.

That man was Glover, who said he had been driving along when he realized he had been shot after hearing gunfire. Investigators noted his car had multiple gunshots to the side.

Glover later recanted, saying he had had trouble with his wife and a possible affair she was having. He said he went to confront her and was met by her male friend.

However, the male friend told investigators Glover had called him and sent him a text message.

When the male went outside, a confrontation ensued in which Glover fired multiple rounds from a handgun. The male returned fire after running back to his vehicle where he retrieved a rifle.

Glover faces up to 30 years in prison, if convicted.

Lexington man charged with murder after stabbing death

Lexington County deputies have arrested a man they said stabbed a man to death Sunday, March 24.

Jeremy Lynn Adams, 34, is charged with murder and possessing a weapon during a violent crime, according to arrest warrants.

The victim has been identified as Donald Eugene Blankenship, 24, according to Lexington County Coroner Margaret Fisher.

“Based on information detectives gathered from witnesses after responding to a home on Ringo Road, Adams stabbed Blankenship multiple times in the upper body,” Lexington County Sheriff Jay Koon said. “Blankenship was transported for treatment but later succumbed to his injuries.”

Evidence recovered by investigators at the scene is scheduled for further testing, according to Koon.

Deputies arrested Adams at the scene shortly after the incident Sunday. He’s being held in the Lexington County Detention Center after a magistrate denied him bond Monday.

State senators approve

medical marijuana

A Senate subcommittee has approved an amended medical marijuana bill.

Despite opposition from doctors, police and the state attorney general, the proposed Compassionate Care Act will legalize marijuana.

Under the bill’s author, Sen. Tom Davis, R-Beaufort, the subcommittee voted 5-1 with dissent from Sen. Tom Corbin, R-Greenville.

The subcommittee amended the proposal to soften opposition from the State Law Enforcement Division, SC Sheriff’s Association, SC Medical Association and SC Attorney General Alan Wilson of Lexington.

The amendments ban transportation workers, require better detection method for drivers under the influence and defining a debilitating condition.

March Seabrook, president of the SC Medical Association, said his group still opposes the bill.

“The bill, even as amended, continues to circumvent the safe practices established for bringing new drugs to market, which potentially puts patient health at risk,” Seabrook told The State newspaper.

A method is needed for doctors to understand how to check and treat patients and prescribe it, he said.

Without this, the legislature effectively establishes itself as the FDA for SC.

In addition, senators sent the House bills to:

• Create a fund to provide low interest loans to flooded-home buyouts and floodplain restoration.

• Have South Carolina observe Daylight Savings Time year-around if Congress passes legislation authorizing states to do that.

• Require auto insurers to file rate increases with the Department of Insurance every 6 months and prohibit increases more than once a year unless approved by the department. This bill should limit the ever-increasing automobile insurance rates, Senate Majority Leader Shane Massey said.