SUMTER COUNTY, S.C. — Authorities say an armed dispute at a Sumter restaurant preceded a police pursuit that ended in a fiery crash on Friday. Now, one juvenile suspect is in critical condition, and another is in the custody of a state agency.
The Sumter County Sheriff's Office said Sumter Police initially responded to an incident at the Red Lobster on Broad Street and several males with guns. Authorities said police alerted the sheriff's office to the incident and a 2014 Cadillac CTS that may have been connected to it.
The sheriff's office said one of its deputies was helping police with a traffic stop of the vehicle at Old Pocalla and Manning roads when the passenger, believed to be armed, jumped from the vehicle and ran. Officials said the driver then drove away at high speed, and the deputy followed with lights and sirens activated. The sheriff's office said the driver refused to stop and continued south on Manning Road and onto Highway 521 South, reaching speeds over 100 mph.
The sheriff's office said the chase ended on the highway near Wood Rock Road when the suspect lost control and hit an embankment. Officials said the crash caused the car to flip several times and catch fire. The sheriff's office said the deputy extinguished the fire, and other first responders arrived to remove the driver from the vehicle. According to the sheriff's office, the person was taken by helicopter to a Columbia hospital and was in critical condition at the last check.
Further investigation uncovered five handguns, many reportedly stolen, and a small amount of marijuana, the sheriff's office said. Investigators said they believe the guns were stolen in a string of vehicle break-ins across Sumter County.
Officials say that the passenger was captured after jumping from the car and wasn't injured. The driver and the passenger were juveniles, and the sheriff's office said they won't release their names. The Department of Juvenile Justice has taken custody of the passenger.
In a statement on Saturday, Sheriff Anthony Dennis said he was thankful no one else was hurt in the incident. He also questioned the motives involved in the incident and warned of their consequences.
"While I pray for the injured juvenile, his friend, and their families, I also pray our young people learn this lifestyle never has a happy ending," Dennis said.
