Fleeing suspect involved in fatal wreck in Powdersville
A man who was headed to work collided with the suspect vehicle.
An Easley man died when his pickup truck collided with a man who was fleeing from Greenville County deputies in a car, authorities said.
The suspect survived the crash early Thursday morning at the intersection of State 81 and State 153 in Powdersville, authorities said. Stephen Alan Burnett, 62, of Cherokee Road, died at the scene, the Anderson County Coroner's Office said.
The fatal collision happened about 4:30 a.m. Thursday as the Greenville County Sheriff's Office attempted to apprehend Dexter Davon Reeves, 25, of Greenville.
Burnett, who was engaged to be married, was headed to work at GBS Building Supply. He was traveling south on State 153 and Reeves was driving west on State 81 when they collided at the intersection, the Highway Patrol said. The car and the pickup truck were totaled.
Reeves was wanted in connection with two domestic violence incidents, Deputy Drew Pinciaro said in a press release. Reeves smashed a window and attempted to break into a woman's home about 1 a.m. Thursday, according to Pinciaro and warrants.
The Sheriff's Office responded to S. Florida Avenue at 3:45 a.m. Thursday to locate Reeves. He was sitting in a vehicle when deputies approached on foot, the Sheriff's Office said.
Reeves immediately sped off, evading deputies and fleeing on State 81 toward Anderson County, Pinciaro said in the press release to media. Deputies attempted to overtake the suspect's vehicle in their patrol cars, Pinciaro said. Upon reaching the intersection, deputies saw that Reeves collided with another vehicle, Pinciaro said.
Reeves was transported to the hospital, the Highway Patrol said. Burnett, who was wearing his seat belt, died of multiple blunt force trauma injuries, Chief Deputy Coroner Charlie Boseman said.
The Highway Patrol and Greenville County Sheriff's Office were at the scene for hours. The lanes of State 81, near the Rite Aid, were blocked as troopers and deputies investigated, slowing traffic at the busy intersection.
The Sheriff's Office declined to answer questions about the incident, citing the ongoing investigation.
"Once the investigation is complete, more information will be released," Pinciaro said in an email.
Reeves has a prior domestic violence conviction and was out on bond in connection with another domestic violence incident, according to a warrant.
On Feb. 5, he was accused of striking a woman several times and choking her, an arrest warrant alleges. He was charged with first-degree domestic violence and unlawful neglect of a child. When he struck the woman, she was holding a child, an arrest alleges. The woman dropped the child, and the child's head hit a wall, the warrant states.