TR boy charged with attempted murders of bicyclists
Authorities say a 16-year-old Travelers Rest boy faces six attempted murder charges and at least 17 other charges alleging that he targeted bicyclists as revenge for the deaths of two of his friends in a car wreck last December.
The Greenville County Sheriff's Office says the boy tried to run bicyclists off the road or strike them with his car, shot fireworks at them and taunted them.
Investigators allege that multiple incidents took place in northern Greenville County in and around the city of Travelers Rest between December and April, said Jonathan Smith, Sheriff's Office spokesman.
In addition to six attempted murder charges, the juvenile also faces two charges of assault and battery, two charges of assault and battery third degree, two charges of throwing fireworks from a vehicle and 11 charges of taunting a cyclist, Smith said.
The investigation is ongoing, Smith said.
There are seven different active cases with 11 victims to date, Smith said.
A parent brought the boy to the Law Enforcement Center last Friday and the boy remains in custody, he said.
The Sheriff's Office declined to release warrants because the boy is being charged as a juvenile.
After a number of incidents in which the driver of a black Hyundai Tiburon tried to hit cyclists or force them off the road, members of the Greenville Spinners Bicycle Club began to alert one another and posted several messages on Facebook to be on the lookout for the vehicle, Smith said.
A deputy got in touch with the president of the Spinners and began to investigate, he said. The investigator, Will Richtor, learned that there had been a lengthy pattern of assaults involving the same vehicle in the northern part of the county, Smith said.
Both male and female victims told investigators a male spit at them and threw drinks or lit fireworks at them as well as verbal assaults, he said.
RELATED: Cycling season renews old tensions
RELATED: S.C. fifth most dangerous state for cyclists
RELATED: Greenville's next cycling challenge is safety
Smith said the suspect began to target cyclists after his two friends, Timothy Michael Arrowood, 19, and Josey Macala Cox, 17, who both had been students at Travelers Rest High School, died in a car wreck on Roe Ford Road in December.
"This kid feels like the bicyclists were the ones who caused the wreck and, for whatever reason, he's trying to take it out on all bicyclists," Smith said.
Cyclists weren't responsible for that wreck, Smith said.
Investigators believe there may be other victims who have yet to come forward. Smith said anyone who believes he or she has been victimized should call 864-467-4704 and ask to speak to Investigator Richtor.