Man arrested after two-state pursuit
A Martinez man faces charges after a domestic dispute in Columbia County and a police chase that ended in North Augusta on Thursday.
Columbia County authorities charged Ryan Scott McQueen, 35, of Old Anderson Road, with burglary, aggravated assault and a weapons charge, said sheriff's Capt. Steve Morris.
North Augusta police charged McQueen with failure to stop for police, resisting arrest and leaving the scene of an accident.
Just before 10 a.m. Thursday, he went to a friend's house on Maywood Drive in Martinez, where his girlfriend spent the night after a fight the previous evening, stated a Columbia County Sheriff's Office incident report. The homeowner's girlfriend tried to lock the front door, but McQueen forced his way in.
McQueen's girlfriend locked herself in the master bedroom as homeowner Anthony Arcuri tried to lock the bedroom door to keep McQueen out, the report said.
McQueen punched a hole in the bedroom door and punched Arcuri, who fell to the floor, police said. McQueen reportedly entered the bedroom and punched and stabbed Arcuri in the head and shoulder.
Arcuri, 34, was taken to Medical College of Georgia Hospital with nonlife-threatening injuries, Morris said.
McQueen fled in a Nissan Pathfinder, which was spotted and chased by Richmond County deputies. McQueen drove into North Augusta, where he hit a car at Spring Grove and Georgia avenues.
No one was hurt, said North Augusta Public Safety Detective Tim Thornton.
McQueen drove away from the crash, but was stopped in Aiken County about noon after he ran over spike strips on U.S. Highway 25 in Belvedere, Thornton said. When he refused to comply with officers, McQueen was tasered and taken into custody, Thornton said.
The following accounts were taken from reports from the Columbia County Sheriff's Office. Reports are available at www.columbiacountyso.org:
Neighbors argue over shotgun blast
An Appling couple told police Sunday that a neighbor had pointed a shotgun at them.
The 36-year-old man said that just after 3 p.m., he confronted his 20-year-old neighbor for failing to give a warning before firing a shotgun to kill an injured animal. The neighbor then yelled obscenities at him and his wife and pointed the gun at them.
The neighbor told deputies he had used the gun to kill his mother's injured cat. He re-enacted the shooting for police, contending that his back was to his neighbor's home when he took the shot. Police saw marks indicating the blast had been aimed toward the street, away from the houses.
The report said that the incident appears to be part of a feud between the neighbors and that no impartial witness could corroborate either statement.
Vandals spray-paint war monument
Police discovered Saturday that someone spray-painted the Confederate Monument at the Columbia County Amphitheater.
About 11:30 a.m., a sheriff's deputy found the vandalism behind the Columbia County Library, 7022 Evans Town Center Blvd.
Between noon Friday and 11:30 a.m. Saturday, someone spray-painted over the names on the monument and wrote, "NO RACISM," at the bottom.
Martinez home, vehicle egged
Someone threw raw eggs at a Martinez house and truck Friday night.
The resident said he had parked his 2008 Ford F-250 in the front yard about 7:15 p.m. Friday. When he went outside about 9:30 a.m. Saturday, he found eggs and egg shells on the driver's side of the truck and on the front of his house.
He was unsure of any permanent damage to the truck.
Martinez Columbia Fire Rescue report for June 14-20:
Structure fires, seven; wood/brush/grass fires, two; vehicle fire, one; controlled/unauthorized burns, two; activated fire alarms, 15; gas line ruptures, two; medical incidents, 21; vehicle accidents, eight; electrical incident, one; weather damage, seven; investigate various incidents, three; and assist residents, three.
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