Burglary Suspects Arrested after Vehicle Chase

Three suspected burglars were arrested Monday, and two others are still being sought, after a vehicle chase with the Lexington County Sheriff's Department.

Lexington County Sheriff James Metts said deputies arrested Najjar Infinity Faustin, 18, of 2210 Whaley Street, Apartment 400-C, Columbia; Marquese Kelvin Fields, 18, of 2404 Gordon Bowman Street, Columbia; and Sheldon Jerome Turner, 18, of 430 Floyd Drive, Columbia. 

Faustin, Fields and Turner each were being held at the Lexington County Detention Center while awaiting bond hearings on charges of second-degree burglary, attempted burglary and criminal conspiracy. Additional charges are pending.

Metts said a homeowner contacted the department about five men trying to break into her home on Woodberry Road. The men were alleged to have broken into another home on Woodberry Road, where they allegedly stole jewelry, electronic equipment, one signal flare gun and signal flares as well as other items.

Another resident on Woodberry Road told deputies that he saw the five men who broke into the Woodberry Road home drive off in a white 2010 Ford Transit transportation van, which deputies determined had been reported stolen to the Columbia Police Department on Sunday, May 13, Metts said. T Deputies later saw the van driving on U.S. 1 in West Columbia near the interchange with Interstate 26.

At about 8:45 a.m. on Monday, Deputy Marc Isphording tried to conduct a traffic stop on the transportation van as the vehicle drove east on I-26 towards Charleston, Metts said.

The driver van refused to stop the vehicle, Metts said. In response to the driver’s actions, Isphording pursued the van, with the blue lights and siren activated on his marked patrol car.

The driver of the transportation van exited I-26 at exit 115 and turned onto U.S. 321, heading towards Gaston, Metts said. The driver of the van then turned onto Fish Hatchery Road, heading towards Pine Ridge.

At about 8:52 a.m., Sgt. Kevin Blake deployed Stop Stick tire-deflation devices on Fish Hatchery Road at the intersection with Mimosa Road, Metts said. At about 8:59 a.m., spikes in the tire-deflation devices penetrated each of the van’s four tires as the van drove over the devices at a speed of about 75 mph. 

The driver of the van continued driving on Fish Hatchery Road past the intersection with Meadowfield Road and eventually turned into a dirt driveway at a home in the 4600 block of Fish Hatchery Road.

After the transportation van stopped in the driveway, Faustin, Fields, Turner and two other men, whom deputies have not yet identified, exited the vehicle and ran away, Metts said. K-9 Unit Deputy Ted Xanthakis and his K-9 police dog partner, Arcos, began tracking the five men.

At about 9:03 a.m., Blake took Turner into custody outside a home in the 4600 block of Fish Hatchery Road, Metts said. Turner allegedly possessed three rounds of ammunition for a signal flare gun. Deputies found one signal flare gun in the transportation van. A signal flare gun was reported stolen from outside the home on Woodberry Road.

At about 9:09 a.m., Xanthakis and Arcos took custody of Fields at a convenience store on S.C. 6, Metts said. Xanthakis and Arcos later found Faustin hiding in the rear seat of a motor vehicle that was parked outside a home in the 4600 block of Fish Hatchery Road.

Deputies recovered one mini Gateway laptop computer, one Logitech flash drive and one cardboard box containing collectible baseball cards that had been reported stolen from the Woodberry Road home, Metts said. Deputies found the items in or near the transportation van.

Metts asked anyone with information about the two remaining suspects, the burglary and attempted burglary at the homes on Woodberry Road or additional criminal activity involving Faustin, Fields or Turner to call the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department at (803) 785-8230 or CrimeStoppers at 1-888-CRIME-SC.