SC man flees law enforcement at traffic stop with high-powered rifle

A South Carolina man recently pulled over for speeding exited his vehicle carrying a high-powered rifle.

Darrian Travaris Timmons, 24, was arrested by the Darlington County Sheriff’s Office Monday, and he was charged with multiple offenses, including possession of a stolen firearm.

Simmons was driving a vehicle at a high rate of speed in Florence on Oct. 4, when a deputy attempted to pull him over, said Lt. Robert Kilgo, adding Timmons refused to pull over, before exiting the vehicle with an SKS 7.62 caliber rifle.

Timmons fled on foot and abandoned the rifle, which was stolen from Georgia, according to Kilgo, adding that dashcam footage didn’t show Timmons pointing the rifle at the deputy.

Timmons was arrested five days after the traffic incident at what’s believed to be his girlfriend’s residence in the Florence area, not far from where deputies attempted to pull him over.

The SKS is a Soviet-era semi-automatic carbine rifle built for military use.

An SKS 7.62 caliber rifle was used in the June attack on U.S. Rep. and House Majority Whip Steve Scalise and others at a GOP congressional baseball team practice.

The stolen SKS abandoned by Timmons had its stock removed, which could make it easier to conceal. Kilgo didn’t say if the rifle had been modified to make it an automatic weapon.

He did say it shows the type of firepower law enforcement officers can confront while on routine duty.

“We’re not just facing guys with .22 caliber handguns or brass knuckles,” Kilgo said. “We’re facing some pretty powerful rifles. Unfortunately, there’s nothing we can wear, reasonably, for protection.”

In addition to the possession of a stolen firearm charge, Timmons also was charged with failure to stop for a blue light and driving under suspension, stemming from the Oct. 4 traffic incident, Kilgo said.

Timmons had approximately one gram of crack cocaine on his possession when he was arrested, Kilgo said.

Timmons was charged with two second degree counts of domestic violence he was previously wanted for from incidents in May and June when he allegedly assaulted his girlfriend, Kilgo said.

Timmons also allegedly damaged a vehicle belonging to his girlfriend’s mother in June and was charged with malicious injury to personal property, Kilgo said.

Timmons was being held at the W. Glenn Campbell Detention Center.

This story was originally published October 10, 2017 at 7:06 PM with the headline "SC man flees law enforcement at traffic stop with high-powered rifle."