Kershaw Co. Sheriff wants book thrown at ‘career criminal’ after vehicle, foot chase

The Kershaw County Sheriff’s Office recently arrested a multiple offender on a number of charges, including a several drug-related charges following a chase.

Terrence Demetrice Hall, 38, of Cassatt, was arrested on July 14 following a vehicle and foot chase, according to Sheriff Jim Matthews.

Hall was charged with failure to stop for a blue light, resisting arrest, driving under suspension, possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possession with intent to distribute marijuana, according to Matthews who said this is the second time Hall has been charged for driving under suspension and third time he has faced charges on possession with intent to distribute cocaine.

“For fear of sounding like a broken record, once again we have a man who has made a career as a criminal, committing numerous violent crimes and drug offenses, running from a deputy in his car and on foot,” said Matthews, who garnered attention last week for criticizing Circuit Judge Alison Lee, accusing her of being a “bleeding heart judge” who gives repeat offenders a “slap on the wrist.”

Matthews was clear that Hall should receive no leniency from the court.

“Hall should be denied bond as he is a flight risk (he fled) and he is a danger to the community,” Matthews said. “If he is found guilty of these new crimes, a judge needs to see to it that he is taken off the street and out of our communities.”

The chase

At about 2:15 p.m. on July 14, Kershaw County deputies responded to a 911 call from a man who said he repossessed an vehicle and was being chased by someone driving a gray Chevy Tahoe, later identified as Hall, down I-20 in Kershaw County, according to Matthews.

Both vehicles exited on to US-601 heading into Lugoff, where a deputy activated his blue lights and siren, but Hall continued to flee before stopping in the vicinity of Commerce Drive, Matthews said.

Hall told the deputy he didn’t have his driver’s license with him, and when the deputy ran a check, Hall came back under suspension, in addition to numerous narcotics arrests, according to Matthews.

Hall then fled on foot across US-601 into a wooded area, where the deputy chased him down and took him into custody, Matthews said. After Hall was transported to the Kershaw County Detention Center, Matthews said the deputy returned to the area where the foot chase had occurred and located several baggies containing pills and narcotics for which Hall was charged.

According to Matthews, Hall has previously been arrested for armed robbery, armed robbery with a deadly weapon, trafficking in crack cocaine, possession of crack cocaine, receiving stolen goods, violation of ABC law, multiple offense of manufacturing crack cocaine, possession of drug paraphernalia, open container, littering, giving false information, assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature, failure to appear (in court), sale of cocaine base, pointing and presenting a firearm, possession of a stolen pistol, simple possession of marijuana (multiple offenses), driving under suspension, assault and battery with intent to kill and possession of a weapon during a violent crime.

History with repeat offenders

Matthews was critical of the judge last week following a case involving Tyreek Lorenzo Bush-Robinson.

Bush-Robinson has seven arrests dating to 2014, when he was first arrested in Richland County on charges of breaking into motor vehicles, Matthews said. Bush-Robinson was sentenced then under the youthful offender act, which, in his case, meant no jail time.

A shoplifting and possession of marijuana charge later also resulted in no jail time, Matthews said.

Bush-Robinson later faced charges of receiving stolen goods, possession of a stolen pistol, unlawful carrying twice, one of which was a stolen firearm last year, Matthews said.

Two arrests followed on charges of receiving stolen goods, possession of a stolen pistol and unlawful carrying of a pistol in 2016, Matthews said.

In October 2016, Bush-Robinson was arrested on another unlawful possession of a firearm, which was stolen, the sheriff said.

On June 8, Bush-Robinson went before Lee on all of his pending charges in Kershaw County. A plea had been negotiated between the prosecutor and his attorney that would have imprisoned Bush-Robinson for least four years and as many as eight years, Matthews said.

But Bush-Robinson’s attorney, George Speedy of Camden, read a statement that brought Lee to tears, according to the deputy who was in the courtroom, Matthews said. Speedy could not be reached Friday afternoon.

Lee “ignored” the four- to eight-year agreement, and sentenced Bush-Robinson to three years probation, Matthews said.

Counting the amount of time Bush-Robinson spent in jail awaiting his court date, Lee’s sentence allowed him to walk away, the sheriff said.

“The officers and the assistant solicitor were stunned,” Matthews said. “Bush-Robinson walked out of the courthouse a free man … again.

“If anyone deserved to be in tears, it would be the victims, not the judge,” Matthews said. “Judge Lee’s actions are disgraceful and a slap in the face to the law abiding citizens of Kershaw County who have been and will surely be victimized again by Bush-Robinson.”

This story was originally published July 17, 2017 at 4:44 PM with the headline "Kershaw Co. Sheriff wants book thrown at ‘career criminal’ after vehicle, foot chase."