BERKELEY COUNTY, S.C.–On Wednesday night, a judge denied bond for 34-year-old Daniel Ward, a Summerville man accused of leading Berkeley County deputies on a 50 minute chase into Orangeburg County before authorities say he opened fire on them.
“It was something out of TV,” Chief Deputy Mike Cochran described in the courtroom. “He is a danger to society.”
Ward has been charged with four counts of attempted murder, kidnapping, failure to stop for blue lights, violating an order of protection and possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime.
The prosecution along with Cochran asked that bond be denied on all the charges; The judge, however, did set bond at $1,092 on the order of protection charge.
A circuit judge will have to set bond on the other charges. In court, his attorney stated on record he wanted to wave that upcoming bond hearing.
“We won’t be ready, and we’re not trying to get him out of jail. He has some mental issues he needs to address first,” his attorney, James Smiley, stated in court.
Sitting inside the courtroom next to a victim’s advocate was Ward’s estranged wife.
Last week, authorities say Ward kidnapped her, held her at gunpoint and lead deputies on a chase spanning multiple counties before getting into a shootout with officers.
“It was an extremely traumatic experience for her and one that I think it will take a long time for her to recover from,” his wife’s attorney, Chasity Avinger, told ABC News 4.
Deputies say Ward has a lengthy criminal record prior to this most recent incident. Some of those charges include for: domestic violence, arson, disorderly conduct, reckless driving, kidnapping, etc.
Recent Comments