On Feb. 19, the Reporting Officer (R/O) met with a victim and a witness at the Winthrop University Police Department to report an assault.
In an interview with the victim, he stated that on Feb. 18 he was invited to a friend’s house for a small gathering. He said that Subject #1 also lives at the house, but was not at the residence during the time of the gathering. The victim stated that on the next day, he saw Subject #1 at his fraternity house when he was pulling into the driveway and that once Subject #1 saw him, Subject #1 stopped him and began yelling at him, asking him, “why were you at my house last night?”
Subject #1 then began to threaten the victim by saying, “You’re a b**ch and a p*ssy, you know how easily I could drag you out the car and make you have to go to Piedmont hospital?” The victim then explained that Subject #1 was yelling and spitting on him.
When the victim told Subject #1 to stop spitting on him, Subject #1 then spit directly into the victim’s face. The victim stated that Subject #1 aggressively said, “I know where you live and I know where you sleep,” and then walked away. While Subject #1 was walking away, the victim stated “I know where you live too.”
The suspect then came back to the victim’s car and said, “do something then.” The victim told Subject #1 “No,” at which time the victim parked his car.
The victim advised the R/O that he wanted to press charges on Subject #1. The R/O had the victim write a detailed statement of the altercation and issued him a Victim’s Notification form. The R/O then met with the witness to discuss the situation. The witness told the R/O that he and the victim both reside at the same house.
The witness stated that on the day in question Subject #1 arrived at their house, aggressively knocking on the door. When the witness opened the door, Subject #1 began asking “Where’s [Victim]?” Subject #1 then tried coming into the residence, but the witness told him “we need to stay outside.”
Subject #1 then stated that he did not want to put hands on him and that he just wanted to talk to him. Soon afterwards, Subject #1 saw the victim in the
driveway so Subject #1 stuck his middle finger up at the victim and began yelling repeatedly, “p*ssy.” The witness heard the suspect say, “he’s scared of
me. He’s probably laughing right now. I can make this sh*t real funny. I know where he sleeps. I’ll camp out at that bitch and make it real funny.”
The witness stated that he observed Subject #1 shaking in anger and was verbally aggressive during the incident. The R/O advised the witness to write out a detailed statement of the incident.
The victim stated that he believes this altercation may have happened because of an incident that occurred between the two of them a year ago.
On Feb. 24, Sergeant Geralds completed an Arrest Warrant on Subject #1 for Assault and Battery 3rd Degree. On Feb. 25, the R/O was able to locate the subject at his last known address and take him into custody. The subject was handcuffed, double locked, and searched for the incident to arrest. The subject was then transported to the Rock Hill Law Center where he was booked. During this time, Sergeant Geralds then served the Arrest Warrant for Assault and Battery (3rd Degree) on Subject #1.
A year prior, on Feb. 21, 2020, the Reporting Officer (R/O) met with the victim, and several witnesses at the Winthrop University Police Department in reference to reporting an assault. The R/O then began to interview each individual separately.
The R/O began by interviewing the victim first. On the night of the incident, the victim stated that he was at his fraternity house for a small party when he attempted to talk to Subject #1 about Subject #1’s girlfriend. The victim stated that he went up to Subject #1 to inform him that his girlfriend was “eyeing” him and other brothers and that he “doesn’t think she is who he thinks she is.” Subject #1 then told the victim to go outside. The victim stated that as soon as they got outside, Subject #1 pushed him up against the wall, choked him, and started punching him in the face several times. The victim stated that he overheard Subject #1 say “If you ever talk sh*t about me or my girl again, I will kill you.” The victim stated that after the assault he went unconscious. When the victim regained consciousness, Subject #1 was on top of him, continually punching him in the face. The victim stated that various individuals finally pulled Subject #1 off of him.
The Victim then advised the R/O that after the incident, he suffered a broken nose and a fractured bone in the face. The victim said that he had to go to the Emergency Room the next day for treatment. The victim then informed the R/O that he had to undergo reconstructive surgery on his nose on March 3, 2020. During this surgery, the victim was under general anesthesia. The victim stated that would be able to provide photos of his nose from the night of the incident and various medical records. When asked if the incident was previously reported to police, the victim stated that he did not report it because he believed that the fraternity’s chapter president would handle the situation. The victim even mentioned that he told the various medical professionals who treated him and his family members, that he sustained the injuries as the result of a snowball fight. However, after the incident on Feb 19, 2021, the victim decided to proceed with pressing assault charges on Subject #1 due to the ongoing aggression displayed by Subject #1. The R/O then advised the victim to provide medical records from various medical facilities that treated him after the incident. The R/O then had the victim fill out a Witness Statement form
detailing the incident and issued the victim a Victim’s Notification Information form.
After speaking with the victim, the R/O met with Witness #1 who stated that on the night of the incident, he was on his way back inside the fraternity’s chapter room when someone told him to go outside and check on what was going on. In doing so, he witnessed Subject #1 on top of the Victim, punching him several times with a closed fist. The witness observed the victim going limp and was not fighting back or defending himself. The witness further stated that he and two other friends were able to break up the fight by physically restraining Subject #1 and pulling him off the victim. Witness #1 stated that after the fight was broken up, the suspect was yelling out “I’ll kill that motherf**ker if I ever see that motherf**ker again.” After talking with Witness #1, the R/O had him to fill out a Witness Statement form detailing the incident.
The R/O then met with Witness #2 and Witness #3, both were interviewed separately, but had similar stories of the incident. The witnesses stated that on the night of the incident, they received a phone call from a friend that the victim was at the fraternity house, bleeding very badly. At that time, they both drove over to the fraternity house. They observed the victim, inside the bathroom, bleeding from the nose and that the victim had to have his nose reset in place. Shortly after, the victim, Witness #2 and Witness #3 all drove back to their dorm room. The witnesses stated that the victim was very shaken up and in a lot of pain throughout that night. Witness #2 then stated that she drove the victim to the Emergency Room the next day. After interviewing the victim and witnesses, they all were advised to no longer make contact with the suspect and to notate any further calls or text messages from the suspect. They were also advised to report any incident going forward.
On Feb 22, 2021, the victim responded to the Winthrop University Police Department and met with Assistant Chief Yearta. During this time, the victim supplied all of the medical records related to the incident to Assistant Chief Yearta. The medical records indicated several items, including a broken nose and a surgery to repair a fractured bone in the victim’s face.
On Feb 24, 2021 Witness #4 responded to the Winthrop University Police Department in order to speak with Sergeant Geralds about what he observed the night of the incident. Witness #4 recounted the same incident and afterwards Witness #4 tried to talk to Subject #1 about what had caused the incident, However, Witness #4 said that Subject #1 kept screaming at the victim. Witness #4 then arranged to have two other individuals escort Subject #1 away from the fraternity house, while other individuals helped the victim who was still lying on the ground bleeding. According to Witness #4, the victim “had taken a beating and was just lying on the ground crying.” Witness #4 then contacted the victim’s girlfriend and advised her of the incident, at which point she responded to the fraternity house. Witness #4 then helped clean the blood from the victim’s face, at which time he and the Victim realized the extent of the injuries to the victim’s face area.
On Feb 24 2021, Sergeant Geralds completed an Arrest Warrant on Subject #1 for Assault and Battery (2nd Degree). Later in the day, Sergeant Geralds responded to the City of Rock Hill Law Center and spoke with a City of Rock Hill Municipal Judge about the incident. After speaking with the City of Rock Hill Municipal Judge and detailing what the investigation had already uncovered, Sergeant Geralds was issued an Arrest Warrant (M-455440) for Assault and Battery (2nd Degree).
On Feb. 25 2021, the R/O was able to locate the subject at his last known address and take him into custody. The subject was handcuffed, double locked and searched. The subject was then transported to the Rock Hill Law Center where he was booked. During this time, Sergeant Geralds then served the Arrest Warrant for Assault and Battery (2nd Degree) on Subject #1.
On Feb 26 2021, Assistant Chief Yearta received a phone call from the City of Rock Hill Victim Advocate in reference to the case. After speaking with her, Assistant Chief Yearta contacted a Solicitor with the 16th Circuit Solicitor’s Office. During this phone call, the facts of the case, the victim’s injuries, and what the investigation had uncovered were discussed. Afterwards and in consultation with the 16th Circuit Solicitor’s Office, Assistant Chief Yearta contacted the City of Rock Hill Municipal Court and requested that the original Arrest Warrant for Assault and Battery (2nd Degree) be recalled.
Assistant Chief Yearta then completed another Arrest Warrant against Subject #1 for Assault and Battery of a High and Aggravated Nature. Soon afterwards, Assistant Chief Yearta responded to the City of Rock Hill Law Center and spoke with a City of Rock Hill Municipal Judge about the incident. After speaking with the City of Rock Hill Municipal Judge and detailing what the investigation had already uncovered, Assistant Chief Yearta was issued an Arrest warrant for Assault and Battery of a High and Aggravated Nature. Subsequently, Assistant Chief Yearta served the Arrest Warrant for Assault and Battery of a High and Aggravated Nature on Subject #1 while he was still in the City of Rock Hill Law Center.
