Time capsule

As reported 19 years ago in the pages of The Columbia News-Times, Wednesday, June 28, 1989:

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Drug arrests made

A total of 20 people were arrested on various drug charges and other charges on Thursday in an undercover sweep across the county by investigators with the Columbia County Sheriff's Department Vice and Narcotics Squad.

Sheriff Otis Hensley hopes that this will send a clear message to those involved in such illegal activity, that his department will no longer tolerate it.

"Dopers have no place in our society and I plan to use whatever resources possible to see a tremendous curtailment of such activity in Columbia County over the next several months," said Hensley.

The arrests ended a six-week-long operation that involved undercover officers buying both illegal drugs and alcohol from those arrested.

During the purchases of illegal drugs from various suspects, police obtained various quantities of crack cocaine, powdered cocaine, three pints of untaxed liquor and other illegal drugs, including 57 marijuana plants and two vehicles.

Shot tires end chase

An 80-mile chase that began in Lexington County, S.C., early last Wednesday, ended near here after a rookie deputy with the Columbia County Sheriffs Department shot out the tires of the fleeing motorist.

The motorist has since been charged with various traffic offenses, including aggravated assault with a motor vehicle involving the life of a deputy sheriff.

During the chase, speeds reached between 115 and 120 mph.

Deputy Lance Herring of the Columbia County Sheriff's Office shot out three tires with five shots -- each one hitting its mark.

The driver is being held at the Columbia County Detention Center on more than $20,000 bond stemming from various charges in the case.

Additional charges are pending in South Carolina.