DACUSVILLE — A 24-year-old Pickens man has been arrested and charged in connection with breaking into a Dacusville business in January and stealing a vehicle left overnight for repairs.

[cointent_lockedcontent]Edward Gary Akridge, of Chesapeake Trail, was being held Friday in the Pickens County Detention Center on charges of second-degree burglary, grand larceny, unlawful possession of a pistol, possession of a stolen pistol, failure to stop for a blue light, removing/affixing license plate, first-degree assault and battery, a probation violation and four general sessions bench warrants.

A combined $31,000 in surety bonds has been set for unlawful possession of a pistol, possession of a stolen pistol, failure to stop for a blue light, removing/affixing license plate, first-degree assault and battery and probation violation, while the burglary and grand larceny bond is pending, and no bond has been set for the four general sessions bench warrant violations.

Pickens County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Creed Hashe said Friday that Dacusville Tire was forcibly entered after glass was broken out of the door. The business, located on Farrs Bridge Road, was among many locations without power on the day of the break-in due to widespread outages blamed on the ice and snow.

Hashe said the burglary was detected by a passing motorist later that morning after observing the busted glass and a bay door that was raised and left open.

Sheriff’s deputies soon learned that assorted tools and a 1978 jeep belonging to a Dacusville resident had been stolen during the incident. Deputies recovered the jeep the same day after it was found abandoned on Holly Bush Road.

The chief deputy said evidence found at the scene led detectives to identify Akridge after deputies from the community action team attempted to stop him Feb. 9.

Akridge fled on foot during the traffic stop to avoid capture, but the vehicle he was observed to be driving contained several of the stolen items from the tire company. Deputies found several pieces of evidence that confirmed Akridge was responsible for the break-in.

On Feb. 26, Akridge was arrested at a home in Pickens County on charges stemming from the previous traffic stop.

Arrest warrants charging him with the burglary and grand larceny of the jeep at Dacusville Tire were issued by a Pickens County magistrate Thursday morning and served that afternoon.

Arrest warrants claim Akridge entered the business by forcing open the front door and stealing numerous items and keys belonging to the business in addition to the customer’s 1978 CJ-7 jeep. The handgun allegedly used by Akridge was reported stolen from Spartanburg County, and he allegedly displayed a license plate for a 2004 Toyota Sienna when in fact he was driving a 1995 Honda Accord.

The assault charge against Akridge and co-defendant Jessie Crooks involved an incident where they pulled a man from a vehicle, threw him to the ground and threw a cement block at his head. The victim sustained lacerations to his eye and head from the assault that required medical treatment.

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