WINNSBORO – The Fairfield County Sheriff’s Office announced the arrest of Christopher Craig Andrews, 41, of Society Hill, SC, in connection with the theft of more than $50,000 in equipment from a property located on US Highway 21 N, near Ridgeway.
The theft occurred on or about April 15, when several
high-value items were reported stolen. Following an investigation, deputies
identified Andrews as a suspect and took him into custody on May 30. Several
stolen items have since been recovered.
“The success of this investigation was greatly enhanced by
the dedicated support of the Chesterfield County Sheriff’s Office, whose
members contributed their time and resources to assist in the investigation and
apprehension of the suspect,” said Fairfield County Sheriff Will Montgomery.
“Without their support, this outcome would not have been as successful.”
Andrews remains in custody.
Anyone who has purchased tools or equipment from Andrews is
urged to contact the Fairfield County Sheriff’s Office, as the investigation
remains active and additional property is still unaccounted for.
Contact the Sheriff’s Office at 803.635.4141 or
Barry.Gilbert@fairfield.sc.gov.
Councilwoman Andrea Fripp said the strong mayor form of government allows for one person to “have a chokehold on town hall,” and that the council-manager form of government would allow a more fair and equitable governing body for Blythewood.
BLYTHEWOOD – Blythewood Town Council voted 4-1 Tuesday night to pass the first of two votes that are required to pass an ordinance calling for a referendum on the question of a change in the town’s form of government.
The 4-1/2 hour meeting was marked throughout by the
continued crippling dysfunction of a divided council and unruly outbursts from
several members of the audience. Mayor Sloan Griffin’s supporters heckled
council members throughout the meeting, but no one was gaveled.
The main attraction of the night turned out to be the donnybrook that ensued during the discussion and vote on the referendum which, if passed, will change the form of Blythewood’s government from mayor-council, in which the mayor oversees the day-to-day functions of the government, to a council-manager form of government, which is a system where an elected town council (including the mayor) is responsible for policymaking and budget approval, while a professional town manager, hired by the council and mayor, handles the administration.
The bickering that you see is about us trying to hold this mayor accountable.
— Andrea Fripp, Councilwoman
Hours before that, at the beginning of the meeting,
the council’s dysfunction was showcased during approval of the minutes. Minutes
from 12 different council meetings were submitted in the agenda to council for
approval by the clerk to council, who is hired by council but overseen by Griffin.
The minutes, dating as far back as February, 2025, had not been submitted to
council for approval until last month when, because of errors and missing
minutes, they were deferred until Tuesday night for approval.
Community Speaks Out
During the public hearing for the referendum, five
members of the audience spoke out against the referendum and two spoke in favor
of it.
“The United States has a president,” said speaker Kent
Boone who said he was opposed to the change in government. “The state has a
governor, and this town has a mayor. We believe in the unitary executive
principal and the executive. This theory that you will have a
council-administrator form of government, you need to look at the history of
where it started,” Boone said. “It was part of the progressive movement.”
Huffman Brown said he would vote against the
referendum. “My suggestion for this council is that you all find a moderator
that can help you all better communicate with one another. If you change this
form of government, then you’re going to be shielded by persons who are not
elected, but who are making these decisions. There ought to be a single person
making decisions for the town.”
Cindy Merritt said she supports not changing the form
of government. “That’s not going to help one bit. It’s been going on since this
panel was elected. It’s not going to change anything,” she said before
asking Griffin about his opinion of the change in government.
Griffin said he thinks everybody’s been lied to about
the real truth behind changing the form of government.
“Communications go both ways,” Griffin said. “There’s
plenty of residents out here that have called me. You have called me numerous
times,” Griffin said to Merritt. “It’s a lot, and that’s the best way I can put
it. Do your research, find out exactly and ask those tough questions. That’s a
problem when men and ladies can’t conversate with their differences. So that’s
where we’re at. That’s my opnion.”
Geraldo Jurado spoke in favor of changing the form of
government. “It still gives the mayor the authority and responsibility to do
his duties. It prevents corruption, waste, fraud, and abuse we see when you got
too much power in the hands of one person,” he said. “We have to have that
balance of power – checks and balances. It prevents one person from having all
the power. It gives our elected council members more of a say-so on critical
issues, contracts, and expenses.”
Edwin Sanchez placed blame for council’s current
dysfunction on Griffin. “As a leader, if you communicate up front, many of the
problems that occurred tonight, could have been avoided with advance notice and
advanced information,” Sanchez said, “While a strong mayor can work in some
places, it doesn’t here. A lot of the questions asked by council members seem
reasonable, Mr. Mayor, if you had provided that information up front. If there
is dysfunction in this group and this body of government that represents us,
the buck stops with you,” he said pointing to Griffin.
The referendum, if it passes, must be held within 90 days
after the day council votes to pass the referendum ordinance. According to
Interim Town Administrator Ed Driggers, that would put the vote at Aug. 6,
2025.
Council Says Why
Following the public hearing, council members had
their say about the referendum prior to the vote.
Griffin said it would be a waste of the town’s money
to hold it before the Nov. elections.
“So what’s the rush that you got to do it then and
spend $15,000?” Griffin asked.
“It’s an important issue, sir,” Brock said. “Four
people [on council] feel like we are in the dark,” he said.
“So you lied to the people in your press conference,”
Griffin said.
“We have told you countless times that there is a
breakdown in communication from you to this body,” Brock said.
Councilwoman Andrea Fripp spoke up.
“This strong mayor form of government allows for one person to have a chokehold on town hall. Under this form of government, this mayor threw himself an $18,000 Christmas party, and it was paid for by you, the taxpayers. Council had no involvement with the cost or the invitation list,” she said.
Fripp also talked about the generous bonuses and gifts
Griffin bestows on the staff without council’s knowledge or budget approval.
“And those bonuses all said, ‘from the mayor,’”
she said.
“Without council knowing, this mayor hired Ms.
[Tiffany] Cooks, knowing that she was under a SLED investigation for allegedly
stealing money from Williamsburg County where she was manager. Yet, he was so
determined to bring her to Blythewood to report directly to him, that he issued
an executive order. Council had to take legal action to stop him, and the judge
ruled in our favor,” Fripp said. “His friend was later indicted on over 25
counts.
“Then this mayor asked us to use your tax dollars to
pay his legal fees to the tune of thousands of dollars after he told you in the
news that there was nothing for you to worry about,” Fripp said. “Yet you’re
led to believe that he’s concerned about the cost of a special election.
“Be mindful of those who call this a coup, a cabal, or
even make this racial. This has been a one-man show. The bickering that you
see, that you all complain about, it’s about us trying to hold this mayor
accountable,” Fripp said.
Fripp explained that under the council-manager form of
government, an administrator, who is accountable to the entire council,
including the mayor, would run the day-to-day operations.
“It would be a more fair and equitable governing body, and at the end of the day, this mayor, pass or fail, will still be the mayor. He will still be the CEO,” she said.
Councilman Rich McKenrick told the audience that once
the mayor was elected there was a shift from transparency, which he (Griffin)
campaigned on.
“He used the slogan, ‘Town Hall is open for business,’
but it’s not open for business for council members when it comes to
information,” McKenrick said.
“On Tuesday, May 20, after receiving the agenda for
tonight,” McKenrick said. “I emailed the mayor, saying, “Mr. Mayor, will you
please provide the information/competitive pricing on the items to be discussed
on the agenda? The longer we have to review those, the better.”
“My email was not answered,” McKenrick said. “In good
conscience, I cannot approve spending $100,000 on HVAC equipment without the
proper information.”
McKenrick addressed Griffin’s secretiveness concerning
the management of town hall, saying he (McKenrick) requested information
concerning two different compensation adjustments given to an employee over a
couple-month period. He said the employee is one who was hired by council.
Council hires the clerk to court, the administrator, and the town attorney.
“[The mayor] said he had nothing to do with the
individual’s [compensation]. We were discussing what was done by prior
administrators,” McKenrick said. “I called both administrators. One said he had
absolutely nothing to do with it, that those compensation adjustments were made
prior to his hiring. The administrator who was employed by the town [at that
time] told me he had nothing to do with it. He was operating under the mayor’s
direction.
“So I was lied to,” McKenrick said.
McKenrick also said that the mayor instructed him that
council members would have to submit Freedom of Information Requests to obtain
town hall documents such as emails.
“When council members requested information on how
many times the Manor has been rented, what for, and how many times it was
donated to an organization, we couldn’t get it,” McKenrick said. “What we got
was a hodgepodge of entries in an antiquated financial system that we cannot
match up. Ed Driggers can’t match up. But what we do see is our mayor donating
this facility on his own accord for a banquet…a $4,500 rental fee forfeited by
the Town.
“Sloan Griffin is very good at being the mayor who is
the up-front face for Blythewood. He represents Blythewood very well when
you’re at a ribbon-cutting ceremony, meeting people, explaining what Blythewood
is all about,” McKenrick said.
“What he is not good at is the day-to-day financial
operations of this town,” he said. “That should come from a duly qualified
person sitting in a manager’s seat.”
Councilwoman Erica Page said she anticipated something
completely different when she was elected.
“I really wanted to do good for our community,” she
said. “This form of government prevents the staff from engaging or providing us
information because there is a fear of retaliation.”
Page, too, questioned Griffin’s ability to manage town
hall and do his job as a member of the Central Midlands Council of Governments.
“Mr. Mayor, when’s the last time you went to one of
the COG meetings?” Page asked. Griffin avoided answering, but Page persisted.
“When was the last time you went to one?”
Griffin paused, then answered. “It was earlier this
year,” he said. “I tuned in on Zoom.”
“When you’re not able to attend, are you looking at
Mayor Pro Tem Brock? Or the administrator [to attend]?” she said. “Has that
been the case?
“No,” Griffin answered.
“That’s why I’m frustrated and why you have the team you have,” she said, adding that Griffin was under-utilizing the interim administrator who she deemed offers a wealth of knowledge.
“I tried not to make this a public thing, but today,”
she said, “I am speaking up.”
Council voted 4-1 in favor of the referendum
ordinance, with Griffin voting against. The meeting ended at about 10:30 p.m.
Another meeting will be held at 6 p.m., Thursday, May 29, for council to discuss the budget and park safety.
Karen Howard Murphy, 78, passed away peacefully on May 12,
2025. She was born on February 14, 1947, in Cabarrus County, North Carolina,
and spent her adult life in Winnsboro, South Carolina; New Orleans, Louisiana;
Ochlocknee, Georgia; Bay St. Louis, Mississippi; and Shelby, North Carolina.
Karen was a loving wife to Milton Edward Murphy, Jr., who
preceded her in death, and a devoted mother to Eddie (Allison) and Kevin
(Tina). As a pastor’s wife, she spent much of her life offering quiet strength,
compassion, and unwavering support to those around her. Her presence in the
church was marked by kindness, especially in supporting women and children in
the community, and she was always willing to lend an ear, a helping hand, or a
warm smile.
Karen will be remembered for her bright laughter and the joy
she brought into everyday moments. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, she
played a significant role in helping others rebuild, not only homes, but also
hope. Her strength during difficult times was matched only by her gentleness
and grace.
She was also preceded in death by her parents, James Dewey
Howard and Marian Dehart Howard; and her brothers, James Wayne Howard
(Kathryn), Larry Ray Howard (Patsy), and infant nephew Richard Lawrence Howard.
She is survived by her children, Eddie (Allison) and Kevin
(Tina); her grandchildren, Kyle (Anna), Chris (Shelley), and Sara; her
great-grandchildren, Charlotte, Grace, and Emma; her sisters, Deborah Glover (Charles)
and Betty Truesdale; and her sisters-in-law, Kathryn Howard and Patsy Howard.
She is also survived by numerous nieces, nephews, grand-nieces, grand-nephews,
great-nieces, and great-nephews.
A private service will be held for the immediate family. In
lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Karen’s memory to
the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (www.alzfdn.org).
Attendees of Tuesday’s town council meeting were forced to wait until Thursday for agenda items related to safety at Doko Meadows Park
BLYTHEWOOD – The opening salvo at Tuesday night’s town council meeting was prompted by a two-page agenda heavy with major issues, including park security, budget review, a curfew for the town, and park safety rules and regulations. Discussion and final vote on the town’s massive land development code, and a public hearing on an ordinance calling for a referendum on a change of the town’s form of government.
Because of time limitations at the meeting for so many major
agenda items, Mayor Pro Tem Donald Brock called for the deferral of seven items
regarding park safety. Later in the meeting, second reading of the land
development code and an executive session called by Mayor Sloan Griffin were
also deferred.
During the meeting, Councilman Rich McKenrick noted the
absence of any cost quotes or information on one of the safety items on the
agenda (a fence around Doko Park) and said he wasn’t going to vote on a fence
he didn’t have quotes for.
McKenrick also balked at discussing and voting on eight HVAC
units for the Manor without estimate documents.
It was suggested to defer those items for discussion and
approval two days later on Thursday, May 29, when there would be more time for
discussion.
That meeting will be held at 6 p.m. at the Manor.
Park Security
The following agenda items will be discussed and possibly voted on during the May 29 meeting.
Funding for Emergency Gate Repairs and Upgrades.
Funding for Fencing the Outer Perimeter of Doko Meadows Park.
Funding for Park Security Camera Improvements and upgrades.
Updating Doko Meadows Park Hours.
Funding for Law Enforcement for Future Town Events (Movies in the Park, Juneteenth, Fourth of July & Parade)
New Business
Ordinance 2025.003 – An Ordinance to Establish a Curfew for Minors in the Town of Blythewood.
Ordinance 2025.004 – An Ordinance Amending Chapter 93: Regulations for Conduct of Persons and Uses of Facilities and Grounds Within the Manor at Doko Meadows and Doko Meadows Park, Sections 93.01 and 93.02 of the Town Code and adding Section 93.03 to the town code to strengthen regulations governing conduct, safety, and enforcement in public parks and playground Town Code and Adding Section 93.03 to the Town Code to strengthen Regulations Governing Conduct, Safety, and Enforcement in Public Parks and Playground.
Executive Session
An executive session will be held to discuss a contractual
matter: consulting services agreement for town administrator search and a
personnel matter: update regarding finance director search.
BLYTHEWOOD – After naming four more young adults
arrested following a shootout in downtown Blythewood on April 5, Richland
County Sheriff Leon Lott, during a video press conference, noted that they are
“out on bond,” and that some of them were already out on bond for previous
charges – one for attempted murder.
“Out on bond, out on bond,
out on bond,” Lott lamented. Only one of the seven, Alikeem Turner, 20, remains
in jail, according to the Richland County Clerk of Court’s office.
While the seven appeared
before a magistrate for bonding, all are scheduled to appear before a judge
in general sessions court, according to the Clerk of Court’s office.
When the story was posted
on The Voice’s Facebook page last week, there were 55 comments, almost all
critical of the system that allowed six of the seven to be released on bond.
“So our
courts are failing us?”
– Ines Watson
“Crooks
running the country.” –
Dena Petry Crapps
“Seriously?
Out on bond to continue shooting?” – Kaye Rinehart Wilson
“Who was the judge?” –
Zachary Milholland
“Your senators appoint the
magistrates who are letting them out on bond,” Lott said, addressing almost a
hundred citizens at a special community conversation at Doko Manor Monday
night. “So, if you don’t like what the magistrates are doing, complain to your
senator.
“I did that a
couple of years ago when we got rid of some of them that were terrible,” Lott
said. “Now they want to say that Alvin S. Glenn
is a terrible place to go. I don’t buy that sob story
about how this poor person, you know, don’t need to be in jail,” Lott said.
State Senator Tameika Isaac
Divine, who was in attendance, had this to say:
“If they (magistrates) make
a bond that you didn’t like or let people out, then we do need to know that.
But I will say that the magistrates are somewhat limited as to what we do at
the statehouse and what we do so far as setting bonds.
“Bond reform is currently
underway, and so certainly communicate with us (senators), your House
representatives, and others, about your concerns, giving specific examples
about bonds, because the magistrates actually look at the statute as to whether
or not someone’s a danger to the community or a flight risk. There’s also some
challenges as far as the information that they have available for setting
bonds,” Isaac said.
The Richland County Public
Index tells the story for each defendant:
Sadrien Antwan Devoe, 18,
Blythewood. He
was arrested on 4-22-25 and charged with Breach of Peace of a High and
Aggravated Nature and was released on 4-23-25 with bond set at $25,000 by Judge
Van Ellis.
Devoe is also charged with
Possession of Less than 1 oz. marijuana, 1st offense, and was released on bond
set at $615 by Judge Van Ellis. Devoe was previously arrested on 3-31-24 for
Hit and Run, and was released with a leg monitor. (Bond for that arrest was not
available.)
Tyreek
Shealy, 19, Cayce. He
was charged with Aggravated Breach of Peace and was released on a $25,000 bond
set by Judge Van Ellis.
Shealy was previously
charged with Drugs/Pwid Marijuana/Manufacture/Poss of Other Substance, 1st
offence, and was released on a $7,500 bond set by Judge Bagby.
Jamari
D. Nelson, 23, Irmo. He
was arrested on 4-17-25 and charged with Possession of a Weapon During a
Violent Crime and Assault and Battery of a High and Aggravated Nature. He was
released with an ankle monitor on 4-24-25 for both charges under a $100,000
bond set by Judge Van Ellis.
Darell Birch, 18, Columbia.
He
was charged with Aggravated Breach of the Peace of a High and Aggravated
Nature, and was released on a $2,500 Personal Recognizance bond by Judge Van
Ellis.
D’Marion
Khalil Jacobs, 18, Columbia. He was arrested on 4-27-25 and charged with Hit &
Run, with Minor Personal Injury and bond was set at $1,000 by Judge Metts.
Jacobs was previously
arrested on 9-14-24 and charged with Assault/Attempted Murder, and bond was
initially set at $100,000 by Judge Thompson. Jacobs was released on 12-19-24.
Nahjere Suber, 18,
Columbia. He
was arrested on 4-10-25 and charged with Breach of Pease of a High and
Aggravated Nature. He was released on 4-11-25 with an ankle monitor to the
custody of his parents under a $25,000 personal recognizance bond.
Suber was arrested again on
4-30-25 and charged with two counts of Assault and Battery of a High and
Aggravated Nature and was also charged with Possessing a Weapon during a
Violent Crime. A cash bond was set at $75,000 by Judge Grimes. Suber was
released on an ankle monitor on May 5 to the custody of his parents.
Alikeem
Turner, 20, Columbia. He
was arrested on 4-14-25 and charged with Grand Larceny over $10,000 and bond
was set at $30.
He was also charged with
Weapons/Unlawful, Store, Keep, Poss, Machine Gun or Rifle, and a cash bond was
set at $40,000 by Judge McLeod, and Turner remains in jail according to the
office of the Clerk of Court for Richland County.
Turner was previously arrested on 2-26-25 and charged with two counts of Grand Larceny $10,000 or more and one charge of Poss, Conceal, Sell, or Dispose Stollen Vehicle, valued at $10,000 or more by Judge Von Ellis. Turner was released on 2-28-25 with an ankle monitor under a $30,000 bond. Turner remains in jail under the 4-14-25 charges.
The new town of Buckhead will be located in the fork of Hwy 215N, Ashford Ferry Rd. and Harden Rd.
BLAIR – Some communities become towns by accident. That’s not the story of Buckhead. It is a community being incorporated with purpose, by and for the people who live there. The charge to incorporate Buckhead is a grass roots effort being led by their own – the Cross the Water Community Council.
The
land where the unincorporated Buckhead community sits in western Fairfield
County grew out of a former plantation that encompassed hundreds of acres of
land between the Broad River on the west and the Little River on the East.
Today, that general area is referred to by locals as Cross the Water. The plantation
was at one time owned by John Hugh Means who served as governor of South
Carolina from 1850 – 1852.
For
those who grew up in the Cross the Water area, like Brandon Henderson and
Tangee Brice Jacobs, Buckhead is peace on earth.
“The
dirt roads, the fields, the cookouts, the ball games, the people, that’s what I
loved about Buckhead growing up,” Henderson recalled. “And that’s stayed with
me. It has shaped who I am.”
Once
incorporated, Buckhead, at .019 square miles, will be the smallest town in the
United States, according to Henderson.
Henderson,
41, now spends his time between his beloved family home in Buckhead and an
apartment in New York City where he serves as an IT project manager for a
number of companies. But Henderson says his heart never left Buckhead where,
over the last few years, he has spearheaded the community effort to
incorporate Buckhead which is located in the Cross the Water area that also
includes the communities of Shelton, Feasterville, Monticello, Dawkins, Blair
along Highway 34 – and all the places tucked in between the Little and Broad
Rivers.
These
communities, Henderson said, have survived over many lifetimes, without ever
actually having a seat at the table of their own governance.
The
Cross the Water Community Council (CTWCC) was founded for the purpose of incorporating
Buckhead. Henderson says the finish line is coming into view, and he wants the
world to know exactly why the incorporation of Buckhead matters.
“Over
the years, development decisions have been made for our community without our
input,” Henderson said. “Budgets have been spent elsewhere.
“So,
we decided to do what our elders always told us to do. ‘If you want something
done right, do it yourself,’” Henderson said. Thus, was born the Cross the
Water Community Committee.
“Incorporation is not just
about drawing lines on a map,” Henderson said. “It’s about taking control of
the decisions that shape our lives. It means we’ll be able to write our own
ordinances, control our zoning, direct local taxes to local needs, and protect
the land we’ve stewarded for generations.”
Henderson says none of this
is without precedent.
“Back in the 1850s,
Buckhead was the political epicenter of South Carolina. It was where the elite
came to hunt and to decide the future of the state. Governor Means, a central
figure in South Carolina’s secession, had a lodge right here,” Henderson said.
“For years, Buckhead had its own post office and was rumored to be on the brink
of incorporation before the Civil War. That effort, like so many things at that
time, was interrupted by a war that reshaped the south.”
Now, nearly two centuries
later, the residents of the area known as Buckhead are picking up that baton,
to redeem it and move forward.
“What was once a haven for
the political elite,” Henderson said, “is now the heart of a community-led
movement for equity, growth, and homegrown governance.
Henderson said the CTWCC
has spent years laying the groundwork for this moment.
“Through community engagement,
strategic planning, and careful documentation, we are now entering the final
stretch,” Henderson said.
Earlier this month, one of
the final requirements to move the former plantation toward incorporation was
met when the CTWCC received a formal letter from the Fairfield County Administrator
Vic Carpenter confirming that Buckhead – after it is incorporated – will
continue to receive county services such as EMS, fire service, and the use of
the recycling centers.
“This milestone does more
than satisfy legal requirements. It creates a gateway for better roads,
stronger infrastructure, and targeted investment that will lift not just
Buckhead, but every neighboring community around it,” Henderson said.
“Incorporation empowers us to advocate with one voice, attract new resources,
and implement policies that reflect the priorities of all who live between the
Little and Broad Rivers.”
For Henderson and those
committee members who have worked toward the culmination of incorporation, it
is not just about Buckhead. It’s about bringing much-needed resources and
decision-making power closer to all in the Cross The Water communities.
“When a municipality is
formed, it gains the legal authority to apply for grants, direct zoning, and
tailor services that reflect the actual needs of its people,” Henderson said.
“A town hall located in Buckhead won’t just serve Buckhead. It will become a
central hub for all Cross the Water residents to voice concerns, attend
meetings, and get things done without having to drive across the county. This
is how we start building from the inside, for everyone.”
The next step is
certification from the South Carolina Department of Revenue and Fiscal Affairs,
Henderson said.
“Once that comes
through, our incorporation petition will be submitted for final review on May
28, in full compliance with Section 5-1-40 of the South Carolina Code,” he
said. “That section outlines the rules we’ve followed
to the letter, including minimum population density and
service requirements, all of which Buckhead exceeds,” Henderson said.
“This is our moment,” said
CTWCC liaison Tangee Brice-Jacobs. “We’ve studied the laws, gathered the
people, and met every condition. We’re not just hoping for a better future.
We’re building one. And we’re building it together,” she said.
“This incorporation effort
belongs to all of us,” Henderson said. “Those who’ve lived here their whole
lives and those just finding their way back home. We are creating a town with intention,
a town where the decisions are made by people who know the roads, the churches,
the land, and the stories.
“We believe in writing
policy that reflects the voices of Buckhead, Shelton, Feasterville, Monticello,
Dawkins, and Blair – all the communities stitched together between our two
rivers,” Henderson said. “All this while we’re preserving the natural beauty
and deep culture that define Cross the Water.”
Henderson says this has not
been just a bureaucratic process.
“It’s an act of
self-respect and self-preservation,” he said. “We believe that Buckhead is
ready to be fulfilled, to be the town it was meant to be.
“The future is being
written with this incorporation,” Henderson said, “and we want to make sure it
includes all of us.”
Visit
www.CTWCC.org to submit a comment of support, to follow the CTWCC’s progress,
and to stay engaged.
BLAIR – On March 9, 2025, at approximately 8:50 p.m., the Fairfield County Sheriff’s Office responded to a reported robbery at Monticello EZ Mart, a rural gas station at 3888 State Highway 215 South in the Blair area of Fairfield County. The store owner, Birenkumar Patel, reported that $379 was stolen by a masked suspect who brandished an object presented as a firearm, according to a report by the Sheriff’s office.
The Sheriff’s office said that after an extensive
investigation, they determined that the robbery was staged.
On May 14, 2025, after questioning, Birenkumar Patel
admitted the incident was orchestrated to allow the clerk, Laxitkumar Patel, to
remain in the U.S. by taking advantage of the U-Visa program, which offers
deportation relief to victims of certain crimes. Laxitkumar Patel entered the
U.S. illegally in September 2024 and faced an immigration hearing in March
2025, according to the report.
Birenkumar Patel has been charged with Criminal Conspiracy.
Laxitkumar Patel has been charged with Filing a False Police Report and
Criminal Conspiracy and is subject to a federal hold due to his illegal
immigration status.
BLYTHEWOOD – The Blythewood Chamber of Commerce has awarded scholarships to three high school seniors. With 58 applications showcasing impressive academic credentials, the selection process was especially rigorous.
Congratulations to Emily Grace Ashley, Abigail Annsley Lanier, and Kate Kaczynski, who, besides receiving $2000 each in scholarship money, had the distinction of receiving personal congratulations from Congressman Joe Wilson.
“I’ve probably described it pretty good,” Lott said during
an update of the arrests made after the incident. “Not a day goes by I don’t
get somebody asking me a question about what happened in Blythewood, what we’ve
done,” he said.
“So, I think it’s important that we update on the arrests
that we’ve made and what we’ve been able to find out.”
Lott flashed the four new arrestees on a screen.
Jamari Nelson, 23, was arrested for Aggravated Assault, Possession of a Weapon During a Violent Crime, and is out on bail.
Jamari Nelson
D’Marion Jacobs, 18, was driving a Mazarati that Lott said hit a young person, then fled the scene during the Blythewood shooting. Jacobs was later arrested for Hit & Run Resulting in Minor Injury, and is out on bond. Jacobs was previously arrested for attempted murder. He pled to a lesser crime, and received no jail time, according to Lott.
D’Marion Jacobs
Nahjere Suber, 18, was arrested for two counts of Aggravated Assault and Possession of a Weapon during a Violent Crime. He is out on bond. He was previously arrested for Aggravated Breach of Peace in connection with the Blythewood shooting.
Nahjere Suber
AliKeem Turner, 20, was present at the Blythewood shooting, but did not shoot. Previously arrested for Attempted Grand Larceny and Possession of a Machine Gun. Turner was released on bond.
AliKeem Turner
Lott said a common denominator in the four arrests and the
previous arrests of three Blythewood shooters is, “they are out on bond, out on
bond, out on bond.” he said. “I don’t control bond, I don’t control the court
system, but we do control the sheriff’s department’s investigation and making
arrests,” Lott said. “What happens after that is entirely out of our hands, but
we will make an arrest.
“These individuals that we’re talking about, they’re all
back out in the community,” Lott said.
“If you ask me what caused this shooting,” Lott said, “it’s …people who just don’t like each other and people who just don’t care. When you ask these individuals why they commit these shootings,” Lott said, “the response is, ‘I just start shooting. I hear a shot, so I put my gun out and I just start shooting.’
A shooter in one of the bays of Blythewood carwash during the April 5 shooting in downtown Blythewood. | Photos: Richland County Sheriff’s Department
“Only by the grace of God that many people weren’t killed,”
Lott said.
During the press conference, Lott showed two videos of the shootout in Blythewood – one, a scene of kids running when shots were fired on McNulty Road behind the Waffle House with the Exon Sharpe Shoppe forming a backdrop for shooters and another one of shooters inside the car wash at the intersection of McNulty and Boney Road.
“We had a young lady that was shot, didn’t have anything to do with any of it – just happened to be there. She ended up getting shot, but with the number of bullets that were fired, it’s the higher power that protected all these people who were there.
D’Marion Jacobs, 18, was charged with a hit and run after the black Maserati he was driving hit a pedestrian and drove off, according to Sheriff Leon Lott.
“This does not have anything to do with the Town of
Blythewood,” Lott said, “except that Blythewood just happened to be the place
that they all gathered that night. Unfortunately, when you have large groups of
unsupervised young people, somebody’s going to pull a gun out, they’re going to
fire the first bullet, and it just goes from there.”
Lot said deputies served a search warrant at Nelson’s home
after his arrest, and found two guns.
“One has been linked to another crime that we’re working
on,” he said.
Since the shootout, Lott said he’s asked the community for
help and they’ve responded.
“They’ve been a tremendous help to us, providing us with
information,” he said. “The investigation is continuing. We’ve got more that
we’re going to arrest.
“We’ve had some parents come in with their young person and
they gave us statements, not the ones who were involved in the shootings,” he
said. “The ones who were involved in the shooting, their parents haven’t
brought them in.
“We’re still identifying people and we’re going to continue to do it,” he said. “There’s going to be more arrests.
“It’s a priority case for us, one that we’re going to continue to work on, and we’re going to continue to do our part. That’s holding those responsible for these shootings, hold them accountable.
“I think it’s important that the community, particularly the
Blythewood community that this has really had such a big impact on, knows that
we’re continuing to work this case.”
Lott will be speaking at a town hall meeting to be held at
the Manor on May 19, to discuss with community members the current disruptions
in the business district and at evening park events. It begins at 6:30 p.m.
Prior Arrests
On April 11, Lott announced the arrests of Tyreek Shealy, 19 and Darell Birch, 18. Both were charged with Aggravated Breach of Peace. Sadrien Devoe, 18, was arrested on April 22 and charged with Breach of Peace of a High and Aggravated Nature in connection with the Blythewood shooting and Simple Possession of Marijuana in connection to the search.
BLYTHEWOOD – Blythewood Middle School faculty routinely
disregarded a former student’s bullying complaints, retaliating against him for
reporting the continued harassment, according to a recently filed lawsuit.
The abuse grew so severe, the student identified in court
papers as “D.G.,” threatened to harm himself, the suit says.
“By selectively punishing D.G. for minor or nonexistent
misconduct, but allowing other students to bully, intimidate and humiliate D.G.
without any disciplinary consequences from the District for the misconduct,
District created a dangerous environment for D.G. and other students who could
be bullied without being able to take meaningful steps to protect themselves,”
the suit states.
Stephen and Tammie Gilchrest, the student’s parents, filed
suit April 30 in Richland County Circuit Court. The litigation names Richland
County School District Two as the defendant.
A Richland Two spokeswoman declined to comment, citing the
pending litigation.
The suit seeks actual, consequential and punitive damages,
as well as reasonable attorney fees and other costs and expenses.
The lawsuit filed last week doesn’t directly blame his son’s
bullying or the district’s response on his participation in public policy
matters, though it noted both parents are “often at odds” politically with the
district and school in matters outside the scope of their son’s education.
According to the suit, the harassment began in the 2022-2023
school year, shortly after D.G. was disallowed from studying saxophone for
failing to score at least 97% on a music theory test.
His teacher offered to waive the requirement if his parents
enrolled him in private music lessons. The Gilchrists objected, citing
affordability and raised concerns to the teacher.
After the Gilchrists spoke up, the school targeted and
retaliated against their son, according to the suit.
Blythewood Middle altered the student’s schedule,
selectively punished their son for minor infractions while tolerating similar
conduct of other students, confined him once in a storage room to “calm down,”
and on another occasion paraded him in front of students, subjecting him to
student ridicule, the suit states.
Bullying quickly followed
In September 2022, the student reported he had been bullied
in math class. Students responded by labeling the student a “snitch” while the
bullying intensified and faculty admonished the student for not reporting the
bullying “more quickly,” according to the suit.
As the time progressed, bullying intensified in terms of
severity and frequency. Meantime, the student was often assigned detention or
given in-school suspension when he was the victim of bullying, according to the
suit.
In December 2022, following continued bullying complaints,
former Richland Two board chair Monica Elkins-Scott issued a board statement
that read as follows: “We will take innovative, effective and proactive
measures to improve school safety immediately.”
However, bullying persisted throughout the school year and
into the following school year, as did indifference by Blythewood Middle
faculty.
In October 2024, video surveillance captured another student punching D.G. in the face, but BMS administration refused to punish the other student, calling the punch “no big deal,” the suit said. The school eventually enacted “limited punishment” of the student after the Gilchrists filed a criminal complaint.
The Gilchrists ultimately unenrolled their son from BMS when
the school failed to adequately address a cyber bullying incident in which a
student photographed their son in the bathroom and posted it to social media,
according to the suit.
School staff told the Gilchrists they wouldn’t act unless
the Gilchrists first filed a Title IX complaint, citing “rules put into place
by President Trump,” the suit continues.
“The absence of any disciplinary response from the District
to incidents such as the October 2023 battery and unauthorized dissemination of
the humiliating bathroom photo involving D.G. was deliberate and intentional
misconduct that shocks the conscience and is intolerable in any public school,”
the suit states.
The Gilchrists are seeking actual, consequential, and
punitive damages, as well as legal costs.
No trial date has been set. A deadline of November 26 has
been set to complete mediation.
