Three men bolted into the woods near King Creek Road and SC-121 on Sunday after leading Newberry County deputies on a brief high-speed chase in a car reported stolen out of Greenville, according to the sheriff's office. Deputies recovered the vehicle, but the three suspects, described as Black males wearing dark clothing, remain at large.
The Newberry County Sheriff's Office said deputies recovered the vehicle stolen out of Greenville after the men abandoned it and ran, as reported by FOX Carolina News. Deputies told the outlet they do not know whether the three men are armed, leaving a key safety question unanswered after the search was suspended at noon, although deputies remained in the area.
Heavy Law Enforcement Presence Near King Creek Road
A heavy law enforcement presence was reported Sunday in the area of King Creek Road near SC-121 as deputies worked to locate the men who fled on foot. The stolen car had traveled roughly 66 miles from Greenville into Newberry County along the Interstate 26 and SC Highway 121 corridor, according to Travelmath, a route that has become a familiar path for stolen vehicles moving between the Upstate and the Midlands.
The Newberry County Sheriff's Office maintains a specialized Bloodhound Tracking Team trained to track human scents and locate suspects who flee into dense woods or rural terrain, according to the Newberry County Sheriff's Office. It remains unresolved whether that team, or SLED aviation resources, were deployed to search the woods near King Creek Road for the three men.
What Suspects Could Face Under State Law
Failing to pull over when signaled by law enforcement using a siren or flashing lights is a misdemeanor under South Carolina Code § 56-5-750 for a first offense involving no serious injury or death, carrying a punishment of 90 days to three years in prison, a maximum $500 fine, and a driver's license suspension, per Justia Law. South Carolina lawmakers introduced Bill 3176 in January 2025 to establish stiffer penalties specifically for drivers who willfully or wantonly lead officers on high-speed pursuits, an effort still working through the state legislature.
Separately, possessing or concealing a stolen vehicle valued over $10,000 is a felony carrying up to 10 years in prison under South Carolina Code § 16-21-80, while vehicles valued between $2,000 and $10,000 carry up to five years upon conviction. Whichever charges eventually apply will depend on facts investigators have not yet released, including where and how the car was stolen in Greenville in the first place.
Vehicle Theft Trends Across the State
Statewide motor vehicle thefts actually dropped 15.4% from 14,395 in 2023 to 12,180 in 2024, according to the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division's 2024 Crime in South Carolina Annual Report. Even so, high-speed pursuits tied to stolen vehicles have kept surfacing across the Upstate and Midlands in recent months. In April, a chase that began in Newberry County reportedly reached speeds over 100 mph on Interstate 26 before ending in a crash near the Peak exit, per WLTX. In March, a multi-county chase involving a stolen 10-wheel dump truck passed through Laurens and Newberry counties.
Previously, Hoodline reported that a suspect tried to ram officers during a separate stolen-vehicle pursuit that crossed county lines in Upstate South Carolina, one of several recent cases underscoring how often these chases end with suspects scattering rather than surrendering.
Owner Protected From Towing Costs
The article does not establish who owns the Greenville car or who would be responsible for recovering it. FOX Carolina News, whose reporting from Lorenza Medley forms the basis of the initial account, said it would provide more details on the search as they become available.
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