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Escapee still at large; received ride out of town

Published Thursday, January 26, 2012 4:32 PM

By Frank Johnson
Berkeley Independent

As the search for an escaped inmate continued Friday, new details emerged about a ride out of town he took on late Thursday afternoon. Investigators have located and spoken with a Moncks Corner woman who unwittingly helped the escapee by driving him to downtown Charleston.

James Sanders, a white male who stands 5'7" and has dark hair, escaped from Hill-Finklea Detention Center Thursday. He is considered dangerous, according to the Berkeley County Sheriff's Office.

According to Berkeley County Sheriff's Office spokesperson Dan Moon, Sanders was being held for criminal domestic violence of a high and aggravated nature. Sanders also faces a charge of violating a restraining order. Sanders had made a court appearance for the charges earlier Thursday, Moon said.

A Moncks Corner woman gave Sanders a ride to Charleston soon after his escape. She apparently did not know Sanders, and had no idea he was an escaped prisoner.

"We spoke to her," Moon said. "She was totally unaware of who the guy was. She had no idea he had just gotten out of jail. She was just being a Moncks Corner trusting person. She didn't know him."

Moon said the woman dropped Sanders off in the vicinity of the Medical University of South Carolina in downtown Charleston.

BCSO investigators along with Charleston police searched the area Thursday night, to no avail. Sanders remained at large Friday morning.

According to Moon, Sanders and the woman engaged in "pleasant conversation" during the drive to Charleston, and he gave her no indication of where he planned to go after she dropped him off.

Moon said that other leads are being followed, including speaking to Sanders' relatives and acquaintances and checking phone records. "That's all being done as we speak," he said.

Additionally, details about Sanders have been given to the National Crime Information Center. That means law enforcement has been made aware of the escapee "all over the country," Moon said.

In the late afternoon and evening hours Thursday, a helicopter circled both the downtown area of Moncks Corner, and surrounding neighborhoods, including those near Berkeley High School. BCSO deputies were seen on several city streets searching both on foot and from patrol cars.

Later in the evening the search expanded into other parts of the Lowcountry, including downtown Charleston.

Whitesville Road and other roads were closed to traffic as the search took place; search activity also took place on Pinopolis Road, according to witnesses.

Berkeley High School was placed on lock down following the escape, shortly after 4 p.m. A release from the school district at 4:37 p.m. reported that the lock down had been lifted.  A spelling bee scheduled at BHS for 7 p.m. Thursday took place as scheduled.

Continue to check this website for updates.

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