Drug suspect nearly hit elderly woman in her yard during car chase, SC sheriff says

A man who was caught in the middle of a drug transaction led deputies on a high-speed chase, nearly hitting two officers, side-swiping an 18-wheeler and nearly hitting an elderly woman working in her yard, according to the Kershaw County Sheriff’s Office.

Investigators were looking for a vehicle involved in narcotics violations on Thursday afternoon when they saw a different drug transaction happening at a motel in Lugoff, the sheriff’s office said in a release Friday. One officer approached the vehicle, which was operated by 20-year-old Travis Zidel Jiles, of Camden.

The investigator saw a bag of marijuana in Jiles’ lap and told him to park the car and turn off the ignition, the release states. After contemplating the instructions, Jiles drove off, nearly hitting two deputies with the car.

During the chase, Jiles threw a .40-caliber handgun out of the window and sideswiped an 18-wheeler on U.S. 1 in Lugoff, authorities said. The chase continued down Highway 34 toward Fairfield County, ending when Jiles lost control of the car and hit a brick column, nearly hitting an elderly woman who was working in her yard.

Jiles got out of the car and ran, and an investigator caught him and fought him until he was in custody, deputies said.

Deputies found the marijuana and the handgun, according to the release. Jiles, who was on probation for a previous arrest for possessing with intent to distribute marijuana, also has arrests for shoplifting, obtaining property under false pretenses and possession with intent to distribute marijuana, according to the sheriff’s office.

“Jiles’ idiotic actions nearly caused him to kill an innocent woman who was working in her yard,” Sheriff Jim Matthews said. “Our deputies deal with this kind of reckless and irresponsible behavior on a regular basis by people who lead us on high speed pursuits.”

This story was originally published September 28, 2018 at 10:19 AM.