Woman woke to find burglar trying to sexually assault her, South Carolina sheriff says
A teenager was arrested after a woman recently woke up to find a burglar attempting to sexually assault her, according to the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office.
On Wednesday, 18-year-old Dalzell resident Markus Burroughs Jr. was charged with first-degree assault with intent to commit criminal sexual conduct and first-degree burglary, the sheriff’s office said in a news release.
The charges stem from a Monday morning incident, according to the release.
At about 1 a.m. Monday, deputies responded to a report of a break-in at the caller’s Sumter County home, the sheriff’s office said. The victim said she was awakened by a burglar who had entered her bedroom and was attempting to sexually assault her, according to the release.
The suspected burglar, later identified as Burroughs, left the home before deputies arrived and secured the area, the sheriff’s office said. Deputies also called for EMS, who took the victim to Prisma Health Tuomey hospital, according to the release. Further information on the victim’s condition was not available.
No other injuries were reported.
Deputies interviewed witnesses and gathered evidence before requesting a warrant for Burroughs, the sheriff’s office said.
Burroughs was arrested without incident the following morning at his Fish Road home, according to the release. He was taken to the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office Detention Center where he remains locked up after his bond was denied, the sheriff’s office said.
Despite Burroughs’ arrest, the sheriff’s office said it’s continuing to investigate the incident.
At the time of the incident, Burroughs was out on bond from an arrest earlier this month, Sumter County court records show.
On Feb. 5, Burroughs was charged with trespassing/entry on another’s land for various purposes without permission, according to court records. A $465 bond was posted the same day he was charged, and Burroughs was scheduled to return to court on Feb. 28, judicial records show.
The sheriff’s office did not say if the crimes were connected, but did release a statement about Burroughs’ most recent arrest.
“The privacy and peace of this home and family were taken away early Monday morning,” Sheriff Anthony Dennis said in the release. “This crime appears to be an isolated incident, but it is another reminder of the evil in our world. It should also remind criminals that the good people of Sumter County, along with our deputies, will not tolerate these evil acts and that we will pursue and bring to punishment everyone who threatens our community.”
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