Warrants were served yesterday charging a Laurens man in connection with an alleged assault on his wife Tuesday night, after which he allegedly gave threats to kill two police officers who had responded to his home. 35-year-old Johnny Blackwell III of 21 Bub Avenue, Laurens is charged with Two Counts of Threatening a Public Official and with Criminal Domestic Violence. Laurens Police Officer Jody Thibodeau states that Mr. Blackwell slapped and punched his wife in the face with his fists, causing minor injuries during the Tuesday night incident in their home, and that he threatened to shoot and kill two officers who had responded to his house on the domestic violence incident. Bonds were set at $10,000 on each of the alleged threats on officers and $5,000 for the Domestic Violence charge. Johnny Blackwell III remained in the Johnson Detention Center this morning with cash or surety bonds totaling $25,000.
CPW Natural Gas Lines Being Replaced
We reported yesterday that Laurens County Council gave final reading approval Tuesday night to changing control of the alleys in Wattsville to the Laurens Commission of Public Works. The CPW plans to use the alleys for installing new natural gas lines, replacing old lines that have deteriorated to the point of having leaks. CPW General Manager Dale Satterfield reported to the Commissioners Monday that the utility’s annual leak survey is nearing completion. He noted the survey focused in the Wattsville area. Satterfield said crews are now trying to identify where the “bare steel” gas lines that are giving trouble are located in the rest of the CPW system.
Satterfield further said that a new 4-inch steel gas line onLaurens Roadis now complete. He also noted the CPW is now able to provide natural gas service to any new industry that locates between the new ZF plant and the end of the CPW distribution area.
New Water Meter Installation Half-Way Complete
The Laurens CPW is now also in the process of changing out all water meters in town, installing new ERT meters to more efficiently measure water use and that can be read remotely. Dale Satterfield told the Commissioners (Monday) that the water department is about 50% complete with the new water meter installation. That’s a total of 3,263 new meters installed so far. He noted that they’ve recently completed installing new meters in the Farley and Sullivan Street areas. He said in spite of reaching the 50% milestone this past week, many of the meters remaining to be installed will take longer, as they’re now getting into areas where the going will be more slow.
Water & Sewer Board Nominations
Laurens County Council approved appointments to the Laurens County Water & Sewer Commission this week. At Tuesday evening’s regular council meeting, they approved Ted Davenport of Clinton for another term. He has been serving as Chair of the Water and Sewer Commission. Also re-appointed were Patrick Jackson of Ware Shoals, Jurell Byrd of Ora, Elbert Mason of Joanna and John McMurray of Clinton.
Assault by Knife
Clinton Public Safety has charged a local man with a knife assault this week. 27-year-old Randolph Phillips Baker of 525 West Centennial Street, Clinton is charged with Assault and Battery of a High and Aggravated Nature for allegedly assaulting a 22-year-old Clinton-area man with a knife Tuesday, May 14th. Sgt. Shane Prather states that Baker attempted to stab the victim in the right arm and pushed the knife to his arm several times during an incident at Baker’s residence, 525 West Centennial Street.
Bond set at $5,000. Baker was placed in the Johnson Detention Center, where he remained this morning.
Two of Three Charged
Two women have now been charged in connection with an alleged incident of attempting to get extra money for scrap metal by concealing someone in the car that was carrying the scrap metal during the weigh-in Tuesday. 44-year-old Shirley Deanne Burns of 1 Cody Lane, Fountain Inn reportedly stayed behind and was the first arrested. The other female suspect, 18-year-old Rebecca Lynn Kautz of 4 Cody Lane, Fountain Inn, later turned herself in. Both have now been charged with Obtaining Money under False Pretense. A male of late teens or early 20’s was still being sought in connection with the incident. Ms. Burns and Ms. Kautz were being held earlier today pending arraignment on the charge.
3rd Suspect Charged With Drug Purchase Attempt
A Third person has been charged with attempting to purchase non-prescription drugs illegally on Tuesday. 25-year-old Joshua Douglas Bohler of 206 Sid Lee Road, Waterloo was charged by Narcotics Investigator Matt Veal with conspiring with others to purchase pseudoephedrine for the purpose of manufacturing methamphetamine. This allegedly happened Tuesday on East Main Street, Laurens. Two Greenwood woman were charged with the same offense Tuesday. A cash or surety bond was set at $15,000 yesterday. Joshua Bohler remained in the Johnson Detention Center this morning.
Teen Allegedly Assaults Her Mom
Laurens City Police were dispatched at 6:15 last evening on a report of a child assaulting her mother. A 32-year-old woman told an officer that she had asked her daughter to put on her clothing and get ready to go, but the daughter refused to get ready and became belligerent. The woman said her 14-year-old daughter began punching her in the head, pulling her shirt and scratching her neck. Officers noted scratches on the woman’s neck. Officers transported the 14-year-old girl to the city jail, charged her with Assault and Battery then transported her to the Department of Juvenile Justice, where she was to await a court date.
Man & Woman Jailed on Child Support Charge
Laurens County Family Court sent two people to the Johnson Detention Center yesterday to serve time for Failure to Pay Child Support. 47-year-old Roderick Shannon Schofield of 1015 Curry’s Lake Road, Gray Court is to pay $8,051 or serve 90 days.
32-year-old Donna Faye Miller of 706 Milton Road, Joanna also known as Donna Faye Martin, is to pay $6,167 or serve 180 days.
Early Morning Traffic Stops Have Drug & Other Charges
Citations for alleged alcohol, traffic and drug violations were issued by Clinton Public Safety Sgt. Casey Jones at 1:05 yesterday morning. 23-year-old Stanley Leroy Reeder III of 1309 South Bell Street, Clinton, also known as “Thirsty,” was arrested on Springdale Drive at Baldwin Circle. Reeder was charged with Unlawful Transport of Liquor, Simple Possession of Marijuana and Driving under Suspension. “Thirsty” was transferred to the Johnson Detention Center yesterday, where he remained earlier today with bonds totaling around $1500.
Sgt. Casey Jones was on routine patrol on South Broad at 4:08 yesterday morning when he reportedly observed a blue Dodge Dakota traveling south above the speed limit, clocked doing 28 in a 25 mile-per-hour zone. Sgt. Jones made a traffic stop. Other officers from Clinton and the Sheriff’s Office also arrived on the scene. A large knife sheath was reportedly observed sticking out from under the subject’s shirt, so a pat-down was performed, during which officers allegedly found several suspicious items in the subject’s pocket. They included broken straws that contained a white powder residue and numerous dirty q-tips. These were field tested positive for containing methamphetamine residue. 44-year-old James Donald Davis Jr. of 605 Bailey Street, Clinton was charged with Possession of Les than one gram of Methamphetamine. He was released from City Jail on a $5,000 cash or surety bond later in the morning.
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