Month: June 2015

The Pickens County Sheriff’s Office was notified at 8:30pm last night of an incident where a Pickens man attempted to shoot his mother as she drove down the driveway of their residence.

The Sheriff’s Office interviewed the victim who was able to drive away from her son following the shooting and notify the Sheriff’s Office after she drove to a safe haven to call authorities.

The investigation revealed that the victim’s son had earlier left walking down the driveway of the residence located at #909 Sliding Rock Rd in Pickens after arming himself with a sawed off shotgun.

The man’s mother became concerned that the son might harm himself so she proceeded to look for him and eventually located him a short distance from the residence on foot.

As the mother attempted to calm her son down, he threatened her and as she drove off the son fired a single shotgun blast into the rear windshield of the vehicle.

The victim was not struck by the pellets which lodged in the back of the driver’s side seat and headrest; however, she did receive injuries from the shattered glass.

This morning at approximately 10:30am, members from the Pickens County Special Weapons and Tactics Team located David James Dodds (34yoa) inside the residence on Sliding Rock Rd.

After numerous unsuccessful attempts to persuade Dodds to surrender, forced entry to the home was made and Mr. Dodds was taken into custody without any further incident.  No other occupants were inside the residence at the time of the arrest.

A sawed off shotgun believed to be used in the shooting was recovered from the home.

David J. Dodds is currently being detained within the Pickens County Detention Facility where he has yet to be arraigned on the following charges:

Charge:                                             Warrant:                  Bond:             Arrest Date:

Attempted Murder                  2015A3910500286       Pending       06-29-15

Possession of a Weapon        2015A3910500287        Pending       06-29-15

during a Violent Crime

Discharging a Firearm into   2015A3910500289        Pending       06-29-15

a Vehicle

Unlawful Possession of a       2015A3910500290        Pending       06-29-15

Sawed-Off Shotgun

The Pickens County Sheriff’s Office responded to Table Rock State Park on Sunday, June 28, 2015, to assist other emergency response agencies following the report of a fallen hiker at approximately 3:45pm.

The male hiker (16yoa) was accompanied by a female (16yoa) as they proceeded up the mountain on one of the trails leading to Mill Creek Falls.

The witness stated that the victim was attempting to refill water bottles when he lost his footing and fell off of a waterfall located almost three miles from the trailhead in the park.  The victim is believed to have fallen in excess of fifty feet.

Emergency crews located the victim and transported him back down the mountain by foot where he was pronounced deceased.

The Sheriff’s Office has interviewed the witness and the investigation is still ongoing pending the final results of the autopsy.  Preliminary investigation has not produced any signs of foul play and the incident appears to be an accident absent the discovery of any new information.

Please direct inquiries concerning the identity of the victim to the Pickens County Coroner’s Office.

Pickens County Sheriff’s Office Arrests Pickens Man for Criminal Sexual Conduct Involving a Minor Child

On May 8, 2015, the Sheriff’s Office initiated an investigation into information received from the Department of Social Services regarding alleged sexual misconduct that had occurred several years ago.

The investigation revealed that between August of 2012 and June of 2013, Richard Dale Nelson did commit unlawful sexual behavior on a female victim who was 7 to 8 years of age at the time of the event.  The incident occurred at a residence in Easley.

The victim in this investigation was determined to be unrelated to Mr. Nelson who was a friend of the victim’s family.

Richard Dale Nelson (40yoa) was arrested late last night at his residence and charged with the following offense after having bond set at $7500.00:

Charge:                                             Warrant:                  Bond:             Arrest Date:

Criminal Sexual Conduct         2015A3910500213      $7500.00         06-24-15

with a Minor 3rd Degree

CONTRABAND NOTICE

The Sheriff of Pickens County, in conjunction with the provisions identified in SC Department of Corrections Regulation 33-1 and South Carolina Code of Laws Section 24-7-155, has designated the following items as contraband within the Pickens County Detention Facility:

Regulation 33-1

1. Any item which was not issued to the inmate officially or which cannot be purchased by him or her from the jail canteen.
2. Weapons, any and all firearms, knives of any kind and all descriptions, clubs, billies or any other article that may be used for offense or defense.
3. Drugs of any description and particularly barbiturates, narcotics, medicines and poison.
4. Any and all types of alcoholic drinks and any liquid containing alcohol.
5. Keys and locks.
6. Tools of any description not approved for issue to inmates by the Facility Manager
7. Money in any denomination or amount not submitted through the inmate treasurer.

Additional items deemed as contraband by the Pickens County Sheriff under SC Law 24-7-155 include the following:

• Food items from outside the facility
• Glass or metal containers
• Chewing gum
• Tobacco products of any kind
• Pornographic material
• Pick combs
• Lighters or matches of any type
• Aftershave or cologne
• Aerosol containers
• Magazines
• Newspapers
• Any item, even if issued, when used in a manner for which it was not designed or has been altered in any manner.

Notice is hereby served on all inmates and their visitors and any other person that the provisions of 24-7-55, SC Code 1976 will be enforced; and all persons are urged to observe the law and refrain from violating this section.

SECTION 24-7-155

Furnishing or possessing contraband in county, municipal, or multijurisdictional jail, prison camp, work camp, or overnight lockup facility prohibited; penalty.

It is unlawful for a person to furnish or attempt to furnish a prisoner in any county, municipal, or multijurisdictional jail, prison camp, work camp, or overnight lockup facility with a matter declared to be contraband. It is unlawful for an inmate of a facility to possess a matter declared to be contraband. Matters considered contraband within the meaning of this section are those which are designated as contraband and published by the Department of Corrections as Regulation 33-1 of the Department of Corrections and this regulation must be displayed in a conspicuous place available and visible to visitors and inmates at the facility. The facility manager of a local detention facility, with the approval of the sheriff or chief administrative officer as appropriate, may designate additional items as contraband. Notice of the additional items must be displayed with Regulation 33-1.

A person violating the provisions of this section is guilty of a felony and, upon conviction, must be punished by a fine of not less than one thousand dollars nor more than ten thousand dollars or imprisonment for not less than one year nor more than ten years, or both.