One person was killed Sunday afternoon in a accident when a cruiser driven by an Anderson County Deputy crashed into his car. The accident happened at the intersection of SC 8, 81, 88, and Moore Road in the Wren community. The deputies cruiser crashed into the man’s car in the intersection. The deputy was transported to an area hospital with non-life threatening injuries by Pelzer EMS. Wren firefighters assisted at the scene. State troopers are investigating the wreck.
According to reports, the Sheriff’s Office received a call about a stolen vehicle at the 7-Eleven on S.C. 8 before the crash. The driver of the stolen vehicle fled the store and as officers were pursuing the car, a deputy was involved in a collision with a separate vehicle that was not part of the chase. The name of the deputy involved has not been released by the sheriff’s office.
The SC Highway Patrol The South Carolina Highway Patrol has identified the driver of a 2010 Ford Crown Victoria involved in the accident as Timothy Ryan Chapman, 26 of Piedmont. The man who was killed, Joshua Caleb Martin, 22, of Piedmont was driving a 2008 Honda Civic.
According to Anderson County Coroner Greg Shore, Martin was a Wren High School graduate and was attending Greenville Tech. He had just left a nearby church after a meeting with the preacher.
Anderson County Sheriff Chad McBride released a statement saying:
“I am heartbroken by the accident that occurred yesterday evening on Highway 81 in the Wren community. My heart sincerely goes out to the families affected by this incident. In our role as law enforcement officers, our focus is to protect the lives and property of our citizens.
“As we proactively work to protect our citizens, we have placed more officers on the road and are engaging the criminal element more than ever before. In the constant pursuit to maintain law and order in our county, the last thing we would ever want is to be involved in an accident where anyone is injured or there is loss of life. In this case, the life of an innocent bystander was lost because a criminal failed to surrender after deputies attempted to initiate a traffic stop.
“I am fully committed to working with the S.C. Highway Patrol in identifying the perpetrator and bringing him to justice to face the full consequences of his actions.
“My heart goes out to the families who have been impacted by this tragedy, especially that of Mr. Martin, and I pray that God will bring comfort and peace during this unexpected loss. I also ask that the public keep our deputy in their prayers as he recovers from the injuries he sustained. We will continue to honor our commitment to serve and protect Anderson County residents and make it a safer place to live and work.
“In an effort to maintain our agency’s culture of transparency, while respecting both the SCHP’s investigation and the grieving process of the Bowen and Martin families, our agency will release additional details of the investigation as findings become available.”
Greenville Tech President Dr. Keith Miller also released a statement Monday: “The faculty, staff, and students at Greenville Technical College are profoundly saddened by the loss of a promising young man.
“We wish to extend our deepest sympathy to Joshua Martin’s family and friends during this difficult time.”
There will be a get together at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday for a sharing time at Mosaic Church at 1729-A Powdersville in Easley.
