Lockdown This Morning at Paris Elementary and Sevier Middle Schools
A man fled from Greenville County deputies this morning in the State Park Road area, prompting a precautionary lockdown of two nearby schools. Paris Elementary and Sevier Middle schools were under modified lockdown while deputies sought Charles Proffitt Jr, 28, who was wanted for shoplifting and possession of a stolen vehicle. GreenvilleOnline.com reports:
The incident began in the Half Mile Lake area shortly before 11 a.m. Deputies were searching in the State Park and Altamont roads area, Smith said.
“Just as a precaution we notified the schools because it looked like the K-9s were tracking in direction of where those schools are located,” he said.
Modified lockdown means people are still allowed to come and go but the doors are locked and access is closely controlled, Smith said.
An arrest was made shortly before 11:45 a.m. in a wooded area at Cone St. and State Park Road, according to News Channel 7. The suspect, who had been hit by a vehicle as he fled, was taken to Greenville Hospital System for treatment.
School lockdowns are a frequent occurrence in the Greenville area, costing the school districts time and money, and causing significant anxiety for parents, children, and school employees. Perhaps it’s time to amend the law to allow courts to hold criminals accountable for all the trouble they cause when evading authorities.
Strangulation Possible Cause of Death in A’sha Rucker Case
Investigators are still unsure how 17-year-old A’sha Rucker died, but the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office is treating her death as suspicious in nature. GreenvilleOnline.com is reporting that the Williamston teen, whose body was discovered Friday in southern Greenville county, may have been strangled.
Scott Ramsey, Greenville County deputy coroner, said the autopsy revealed A’sha Rucker, 17, had marks on her neck indicating possible strangulation, but “at this point, we can’t confirm” that is how she died.
Investigators estimate that Rucker, who disappeared on Wednesday, died on Thursday, Ramsey said.
The autopsy conducted Saturday was ruled incomplete, and the Greenville County Coroner’s office is awaiting toxicology results. It is worth noting that other area news organizations, including News Channel 7 and WYFF4, are not reporting the possibility of strangulation as a cause of death.
The Palmetto High School student was reported missing by her family on Wednesday. Her body was discovered outside an abandoned home in Greenville county Friday evening, just east of Ware Place near the intersection of Long Cane Road and Highway 418.
The teen’s family believes she was killed.
“There’s no way A’sha would not have contacted her mother during this time unless she was being held against her will, or she just couldn’t,” said Heather Holcombe, who the family has asked to speak on their behalf. “Of course we found out on Friday night, that was exactly the reason.”
The ongoing investigation is being conducted jointly by the Williamston Police Department and Greenville County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies Arrest Joseph Raymond Poole II, Violent Carjacking Suspect
One of Greenville County’s Most Wanted was apprehended near Bob Jones University tonight following a high speed chase on Wade Hampton Blvd. Joseph Raymond Poole II was taken into custody after stop sticks were used to slow down the stolen vehicle he was driving. He abandoned the car and was captured by deputies a short time later.
WYFF4 has more:
Deputies said they caught Joseph Pool II after a police chase on Highway 91. Poole was spotted in a car that police said he stole earlier in the morning from Train Auto Sales on 1127 N. Pleasantburg Drive.
Police said the chase went from North Pleasantburg to Wade Hampton Boulevard.
Joseph Poole is being charged with strong-armed robbery, carjacking, and grand larceny, according to Fox Carolina. A high profile manhunt for Poole began Thursday after he carjacked and beat a 68-year-old woman in the parking lot of the Cherrydale Shopping Center. No word on whether Poole will face charges for the assault.
Breaking News: Body Found in Southern Greenville (Updated)
Fox Carolina is reporting that a body was found near the intersection of Long Cane Road and Highway 418.
From Fox:
WARE PLACE, S.C. — The Greenville County Coroner’s Office said that a body was found just east of Ware Place in the southern part of the county on Friday night.
Scott Ramsey, of the coroner’s office, said that the body was found near the intersection of Long Cane Road and Highway 418.
Ramsey said that the body has not yet been identified.
Developing.
Update: Police identify body as 17-year-old A’sha Rucker who had been reported missing Wednesday when she didn’t show up to Palmetto High School.
Jacklyn Smith Charged With Reckless Homicide in Daughter’s Death
A Piedmont woman has been charged with reckless homicide in connection with the car accident that killed her 2-year-old daughter earlier this month. Jacklyn Vannessa Smith, 21, turned herself in at the Greenville County Detention Center today. According to Greenville Police:
Smith was driving her 1997 Honda on November 3, with 4 other passengers. Two of those included her own two children. According to reports, one or more of the children were not properly restrained. Officers say Smith ran a red light, and was struck by another car, and her infant was thrown from the vehicle. Her 2 year old daughter, Destiny, was crushed in the door. Destiny died later, as a result of her injuries.
In addition to the reckless homicide charge, Jacklyn Smith is charged with disregard of a sign or signal, two counts of child restraint violation, and one seatbelt violation. She is being held on a $2,500 bond and could face up to ten years in prison.
Greenville Dragnet applauds the Greenville Police for pursuing charges in this awful case. Being a mother involves so much more than sharing DNA or scrawling one’s signature on adoption papers. But even heartfelt love and affection can’t make up for irresponsibility and negligence, and all it takes is one screw-up for the tragic loss of a child to occur.