Suspects accused of setting off series of illegal events in Lexington County caught

The suspects accused of robbing a Chapin bank, fleeing police in a high-speed pursuit and losing control of their vehicle which caused traffic issues on I-26 Monday morning have been arrested, charged and identified.

Columbia residents Ryan Anthony Newell, 31, and Cory Ramon Woods, 24, were both charged with armed robbery, multiple counts of kidnapping, and possession of a weapon during a violent crime, according to the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department.

The series of incidents allegedly sparked by Newell and Woods began just before 11 a.m., when two armed suspects robbed the Chapin Wells Fargo bank in the 100 block of Columbia Avenue, according to the sheriff’s department.

Newell and Woods fled the scene in a black Chevrolet sedan with a North Carolina license plate, but were spotted on Highway 76 by a sheriff’s deputy who tried to initiate a traffic stop, but the suspects initiated a pursuit.

The suspects fled to I-26 East, toward Columbia, until they experienced a vehicle malfunction and lost control at Harbison Boulevard, according to the sheriff’s department. The collision caused congestion on I-26 near the heavily traveled Harbison Boulevard.

After abandoning their vehicle, Newell and Woods fled on foot toward Home Depot, but were apprehended by deputies from the Richland County Sheriff’s Department.

Newell and Woods were taken to the Lexington County Detention Center and are awaiting bond hearings.

This story was originally published March 5, 2018 at 7:28 PM with the headline "Suspects accused of setting off series of illegal events in Lexington County caught."