BERKELEY COUNTY, S.C. – Berkeley County deputies arrested three people with lengthy criminal records after leading them on a chase – one even throwing objects at officers from a moving car to slow them down and make a clean getaway. Unfortunately, for him, that tactic didn’t work.
According to the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office, on Dec. 7, a deputy patrolling Hwy. 52 near Butterbean Road in the St. Stephen area spotted a vehicle operating with defective equipment. The deputy attempted to stop the vehicle and the driver, Brandon Lee Potter, only he refused to obey.
During a pursuit, deputies said they saw the front-seat passenger, William Derek Thomas, throw objects out of the passenger window and sunroof of the vehicle in an attempt to purposely cause damage to the fully marked patrol vehicles.
The items Thomas threw caused damage to the patrol vehicle including a dented hood, cracked windshield, broken front grill, and a dented radiator and A/C condenser. Thomas also caused another patrol vehicle to get a flat tire from the objects he threw out of the window, the sheriff’s office said.
The pursuit continued until Potter lost control of the vehicle, resulting in him striking a tree. Potter, Thomas and the back-seat passenger, Ashley Sheree Hart, fled from the vehicle and into the woods, deputies said.
Deputies said they ran after Potter and eventually arrested him a few feet into the woods. When deputies attempted to identify Potter, he lied continuously to deputies. Deputies said they were able to find his driver’s license inside of the vehicle on the driver’s seat.
Deputies used a K9 track to successfully locate Thomas and Hart.
According to deputies, the three suspects are no strangers to the law. Potter has a suspended license due to a previous failure to stop for blue lights and sirens conviction. Hart was found to have a warrant through Berkeley County.
Potter was arrested and charged with failure to stop for blue lights and sirens second offense, resisting arrest, giving false information to police and driving under suspension.
Potters has been arrested at least five times since 2014, deputies said. Those charges include obtaining money under false pretenses, malicious injury to property, larceny, breaking/entering into a motor vehicle, unlawful carrying of a firearm, evading arrest, possession of a stolen vehicle, driving under suspension, failure to stop for blue lights and resisting arrest.
Thomas was arrested and charged with evading arrest and malicious injury to property. Deputies said Thomas has been arrested at least seven times since 2012. Those charges include family court bench warrants, failure to pay child support, possession of methamphetamine, possession of burglary tools, criminal conspiracy, malicious injury to property, grand larceny, and driving under suspension.
Hart was arrested for her outstanding warrant and charged with evading arrest. Deputies said Hart has been arrested at least 15 times since 2013. Those charges include shoplifting, failure to pay child support, trespassing, possession of a scheduled narcotic, contempt of court, malicious injury to property, evading arrest, giving false information to police, possession of methamphetamine, breach of trust, receiving stolen goods, obtaining money under false pretenses), possession of stolen property and obtaining goods under false pretenses.
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