Balloon carrying masked man had gun when trying to break into SC home, cops say
Two Florida residents are in a South Carolina jail after a failed armed robbery turned into a high-speed chase that ended in a crash, according to the Kershaw County Sheriff’s Office.
Traniece Vasquez, 37, and James Allen III, 30, were arrested Oct. 3 on multiple charges, the sheriff’s office said in a news release.
At about 1:40 p.m., deputies responded to a call about an attempted burglary by an armed man at a home in 900 block of Wateree Boulevard, according to the release. That’s in an area of Camden between the Wateree River and U.S. 601.
The homeowner used her doorbell camera to see the man, later identified as Allen, at her door, the sheriff’s office said. What she saw was a man with a mask partially covering his face, some birthday balloons in one hand, and what appeared to be a handgun in his other hand, according to the release.
The homeowner refused to open the door and called 911, as Allen attempted to force his way into the home, the sheriff’s office said.
After failing to get into the home, Allen got into the passenger seat of a white SUV with no tags and left with another person, later identified as Vasquez, driving the vehicle, according to the release.
Responding deputies soon located the SUV near the home and tried to perform a traffic stop, the sheriff’s office said. The driver ignored the patrol vehicles’ blue lights and refused to stop, initiating a pursuit where speeds approached 100 mph, according to the release.
The SUV was on U.S. 521/Broad Street, heading toward Exit 98 on Interstate 20, when the driver lost control of the vehicle, the sheriff’s office said. The SUV flipped over and crashed into multiple trees before coming to a stop, according to the release.
Vasquez was in the driver’s seat of the vehicle when she was taken into custody and treated by EMS, the sheriff’s office said. Allen ran from the crash but was captured moments later by other responding deputies, according to the release.
The sheriff’s office said that Allen broke his arm during the crash and he was taken to an area hospital for treatment. Further information on his condition was not available, but he has since been locked up in the Kershaw County Detention Center, jail records show.
No other injuries were reported from either the crash or the failed robbery.
“I thank God no one other than the suspects were injured during this incident,” Sheriff Lee Boan said in the release.
The balloons were released into the air during the chase, and a K-9 search of the area where they were let go resulted in the location of a handgun that’s believed to have been used in the incident, the sheriff’s office said.
The attempted robbery was not a random act, according to the release. The sheriff’s office said it believes Allen and Vasquez, who both have prior criminal records, knew the victim before the incident. Information about how the two Florida residents were acquainted with the South Carolina homeowner was not available.
Like Allen, Vasquez is also being held at the Kershaw County Detention Center, according to the release.
She was charged with failure to stop for blue lights (resulting in great bodily harm), accessory after the fact to a felony and criminal conspiracy, the sheriff’s office said. Vasquez’s bond was set at $65,000 on the combined charges, jail records show.
Allen was charged with first-degree burglary, possession of a weapon during a violent crime and criminal conspiracy, according to the sheriff’s office. While Allen had a $40,000 bond set on the combined weapon and conspiracy charges, he was denied bond on the burglary charge, jail records show.
“We plan to do all we can to prevent these criminals from trying to harm anyone else,” Boan said.
BEHIND THE STORY
MOREThis is a breaking news story
In a breaking news situation, facts can be unclear and the situation may still be developing. The State is trying to get important information to the public as quickly and accurately as possible. This story will be updated as more information becomes available, and some information in this story may change as the facts become clearer. Refresh this page later for more updated information.
This story was originally published October 7, 2025 at 10:54 AM.
