First 2021 Highway Death

Driver Dies Eight
Days After Accident

  The driver injured in a highway accident died eight days after the incident.  
  The Saluda County Coroner’s Office reported a one vehicle collision occurred on January 15, 2021 on the Denny Hwy / Hwy 194 in Saluda County.  
  The driver of the vehicle, Chester Chrisley, age 76, of Saluda County, sustained injuries and was transported by Saluda EMS to Prisma Health Richland Hospital.  
  The Coroner, Keith Turner, stated unfortunately Mr. Chrisley died of complications related to his injuries at Prisma Health Richland on the morning of January 23, 2021.    The collision is being investigated by the SC Highway Patrol and the Saluda County Coroner’s Office.  
  The Coroner’s Office extends its sympathies to the family and friends of Mr. Chrisley.

CAR SEATS GIVEN AWAY - Fri., Jan. 29,  deputies gave away several car seats in the car rider line at the Saluda Primary School. “We will hopefully be able to give away more next week,” Sheriff Josh Price said. “The safety of our children is important to us and we will work to make a difference when we can.” (Sheriff’s Office photos)

Upper Savannah Region Receives Federal
Grant to Train EMTs, Paramedics

Upper Savannah work-force development staff recently learned there is a shortage of emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and paramedics in the Region and sought funding to fix the situation.   
  Upper Savannah COG applied for and recently received a $500,000 federal grant from the U.S. Department of Labor to train 100 emergency medical services (EMS) personnel in Abbeville, Edgefield, Greenwood, Laurens, McCormick, Newberry and Saluda counties. The grant award was announced this month.  
   “The goal is to expand the pool of EMT basic all the way to advanced paramedics,” Upper Savannah COG Workforce Development Administrator Ann Skinner said.    This is a four-year grant applied jointly with the Pee Dee Council of Governments in Florence. The Pee Dee Region will receive $2 million.   
  “We applied together to increase the chances of the grant being funded,” Skinner said. “But there were statewide issues that we thought we could work on together. The Pee Dee grant is focused more on careers leading to nursing and is hospital-based. Ours is based with the county EMS services.”    According to a recent survey conducted by Piedmont Technical College (PTC), each county in the Upper Savannah Region had vacancies due to a lack of skilled applicants and staff turnover. Greenwood County had 17 vacancies, Laurens eight, Newberry and Edgefield five apiece, Saluda and Abbeville four apiece, and McCormick three.    The grant period begins Feb. 1, 2021, when Upper Savannah can begin to enroll trainees and pay for classes. PTC will be the educational provider while USCOG will administer the grant.  
   “We are going to have a boot camp this summer for recent high school graduates who are interested in becoming an EMT or paramedic,” Skinner said. “During the summer, they will receive training for basic EMT.    “After the end of the summer, they will have the chance to continue on with school to work toward becoming a paramedic or they will have an opportunity to go to work for one of the seven county EMS systems who are hiring. And if they go to work as an EMT, they can earn a living and continue school part-time to enhance their credentials and earn more.”    The grant will promote more than just the basic EMT curriculum.   
  “We interviewed Human Resources directors who do exit interviews and asked, ‘why do people quit EMT?’” Skinner said. The answers included stress, long hours and the physical aspects of the job.  
   “So we will build the boot camp around a retention model,” she said. “Some of the things we have built into the boot camp is some mentoring and counseling so that they can prepare themselves for the emotional and physical aspects of the job.    “We are building into the curriculum weight training. If they are coming straight out of high school, they might not have the physical stamina to lift a patient, so we are building in weight training through the Greenwood YMCA.”    Trainees will also be taught how to sleep.  
  “There are strategies for how to go to sleep. If you are working a shift job and you can’t go to sleep, you are tired, you can be dangerous, you burn out quickly,” Skinner said.    She said USCOG will work with county EMS directors to make sure they have trained staff to fill their open positions and tailor the training to meet their needs. Having full staffs can reduce overtime and even worker’s compensation cases.
    County governments have worked hard to meet local needs during the pandemic. Getting a larger pool of available workers will reduce overtime costs.    This was Upper Savannah’s first-ever workforce development federal grant application and the successful award is a win for everybody in the region.    “Every resident wants fast, professional emergency medical services,” Skinner said. “They want to know if they have a need, that they can call and somebody will come. It’s a universal need.”

Mliitary Ordnance Exploded

(Sheriff’s Office photo)

Military Ordnance Recovered
Underwater At Black’s Bridge

  Sat. morning, Jan. 23,  a military ordnance was located underwater near Black’s Bridge in Saluda County on Hwy. 391.
  The ordnance was removed from the water and transported to a nearby safe location where it was destroyed.
  The ordnance was identified as an 81-millimeter military mortar round by the United States Air Force EOD detachment. Authorities said that  it is hard to say the age or length of time the ordinance was in the lake
  A angler using a casting net for bait snagged what he described to be a possible military ordnance on Fri., Jan. 22. . Once he recognized an alleged military ordnance, he let loose the casting net, marked the area, and notified authorities.
  This was a very difficult search due to the murky water and old bridge debris from the original Black’s Bridge that was demolished Aug. 10, 1990.    The bottom of the lake floor has metal, rebar, and concrete making it very difficult to locate the alleged ordnance.
  Divers were basically having to search by hand.  This type of search takes time due to the temperature of the water and having to switch out divers.  Law Enforcement stated that the area of search was in about 30 to 35 feet of deep water.  
There have been no explosions in the area of search.
The search was suspended for the night and continued in the Sat. morning.
Sheriff Josh Price would like to thank the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, Lexington County Sheriff’s Department, Newberry County Sheriff’ Office, and the United States Air Force for their assistance with this investigation.

Two Arrested On Burglary Charges

  Wed., Jan. 20,the Saluda County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at a residence on Little Country Road, resulting in the arrest of two people on burlary charges.
  Stolen property was recovered that was related to several unsolved burglaries in Saluda County. Natasha Smith and Ryan Hallback were arrested and charged with multiple counts of burglary and larceny.
  Sheriff Josh Price says his office is committed to protecting the citizens of this county and their property.

MCEC PRESENTATION - Mid-Carolina Electric Cooperative trustee, Carey Bedenbaugh, presents Saluda County Treasurer, Tiffany Shaw, a check for the company’s current taxes for Saluda County.

Arrests in New Year

Five Arrested In Two Incidents

    On Jan. 14, the Sheriff’s Office responded to a residence on Chappells Highway in reference to a larceny in progress. The subjects fled into the woods. The bloodhound tracking team responded to the scene and shortly after, Phillip Derrick and Christopher Claphan (both of Greenwood County) were both arrested and charged accordingly.
  Three suspects were arrested on Jan. 15 in connection to a burglary that occurred near Holly Ferry Road. Jessie Brazell, Nicholas Bullock, and Melyssa Skowron (all from Lexington County) are currently behind bars at the Saluda County Detention Center.
  Sheriff Price is proud of the hard work of the men and women of the Sheriff’s Office and their commitment to keeping the citizens of Saluda County safe.

Court Clears 44 Cases

   The Saluda County General Sessions court was almost back to normal in December.
  Unlike the last session that was all virtual, the December court had in-person appearances by defendants, attorneys, judge and staff.
  But like the previous session, there was no jury.
  Clerk of Court Sheri Coleman said she has not been able to draw names for grand jury and petit jurors, and doesn’t know when she be able to during the pandemic.
  Those sentenced during the December court waived an appearance before the grand jury.
  Following are the sentences on guilty pleas:
  Joseph Allen Lee Whitten, domestic violence 2nd, three years, suspended to 30 days, four years probation. Wilson Winfredo Carera, assault & battery 2nd, three years.
  Crystal Marie Black, accessory after the fact of felony, one year, suspended to 35 days, and five years probation. Brittany Alexandria Crowe, possession of other controlled substance, three days.
  Gregorio Joel Alverez Jr., possession of other controlled substance, 14 days, $100 fine. Jacob Albert Davis, receiving stolen goods $2000-$10,000, Youthful Offender Act (YOA) not to exceed three years, suspended to nine days and two years probation.
  Stanton Larnard Wicker, reckless driving, two days, $200 fine. David Deaun Smith, shoplifting, three years - parole violation. Constance Leigh Jackson, manslaughter, five years, upon service of two years, suspended to four years probation.
  Richard W. Mathews, accessory after the fact of felony, sevens years, upon service of 60 days, suspended to three years probation. Saul Geovany Gutierez-Godiner, possession of other controlled substance, time served.
  Tobias Demetrist Johnson, possession with intent to distribute marijuana, three years, suspended to seven days and two years probation. Wilson Lopez, assault & battery 3rd, 30 days.
  Richard Allen Gentry, grand larceny $2000-$10,000, five years, upon service of 13 days, suspended to three years probation. Crystal Linn Hamilton, possession of other controlled substance, four days.
  Trevor Kenneth Yonce, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, YOA not to exceed two years, suspended to two days, and three years probation. Jose Udiel Jimenez-Lopez, possession of meth, time served.
  Wayne Deno Gibson Jr., impersonating a law enforcement officer (2 counts), one years, suspended to time served and one year probation. Melissa A, Dyches, possession of other controlled substance, one day.
  Dontavious Raheem Feagins, assault & battery 3rd, three days. Ryan James Krehl, reckless driving, three days.
  Willie D. Smith, hit in run, minor personal injury, three days. David Henry Bushey III, domestic violence 2nd, 18 months, suspended to two days and two years probation.
  Doretha Ann Marie Tann, possession over one ounce of marijuana, YOA not to exceed six months, suspended to three days and two years probation. Steven Joe Floyd Jr., YOA not to exceed six months, suspended to three days and two years probation.
  Amilcan Perez-Perez, burglary 3rd degree, 33 days. Jodi Mitchell Warriner, burglary 3rd - 1st offense, YOA not to exceed five years, suspended to 35 days and five years probation.
  Timothy Alan Hasbrouck, possession of other controlled substance, there days. Willie Odell Mason, assault & battery 2nd, three years, suspended to four days, three years probation.
  Paula A. Watts, possession of meth, three years, suspended to time served, two years probation. Christopher Edward Bellino, , possession of meth, seven days.
  Rayon Javan Robinson, burglary 3rd, YOA not to exceed five years, suspended to two days and three years probation. Xavious Tyshawn Robinson, unlawful carrying of a pistol, one year, suspended to two days and one year probation.
  Ny’Kel Rasaad Rolland, burglary 3rd, five years, upon service of ten days, suspended to three years probation. James Louis Childers, unlawful carrying of a pistol, there days.
  Muerie McArthur Wharton, indecent exposure, time served. Hardy Nathaniel Williams, contributing to delinquency of a minor, 90 days.
  Meosha Sade Caldwell, failure to stop for a blue light, three years, upon service of two days suspended to two years probation. Joseph Allen Lee Whitten, distribution of meth, three years, suspended to two days and two years probation.
  Dominique Rockrekus Padgett, simple possession of marijuana, 21 days; possession of crack, 21 days; Angela Sue Routsaw, assault & battery 3rd, three years, suspended to two years probation.
  Tyrone Ouzts, assault & battery 2nd, three years, suspended to three days and two years probation. Christopher James Robinson, petit larceny $2000 or less, two days. Benjamin Frank Rodgers, possession of other controlled substance, one year, suspended to $100 fine.