NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) – The North Charleston Police Department has released dashcam video of a wild police chase through the City of North Charleston early Sunday morning.
It all began when officers were conducting a business check at the Red Roof Inn on Northwoods Boulevard around 4:30 a.m.
According to an incident report, officers noticed a Chevy Impala with dark tinted windows running in the parking lot of business and a male who appeared to be sleeping in the driver’s seat.
When police approached the vehicle, they discovered an AR style rifle on the rear floorboard of the vehicle.
After the male woke up, the report states he tried to hide a clear plastic baggie containing a white powdery substance that was in his right hand and started to put the car in reverse – where he then attempted to run over the officers while they were still around the vehicle.
The driver fled from the scene in a wild police chase through North Charleston – which included traveling at a high rate of speed on Ashley Phosphate Road, Stall Road, Midland Park Road, Aviation Avenue, Rivers Avenue, and other roadways before stopping the vehicle behind a home on Hawthorn Drive, where he then attempted to run on foot.
Officers were able to detain the suspect after he became tired. The dashcam video also reveals several near-crashes.
During a search of the vehicle, police located a Ziploc bag containing 11.6 grams of a green plant-like material that tested presumptive for THC, a white powdery substance that weighed approximately 40.4 grams and tested presumptive for cocaine, and a single clear plastic baggie containing a brown powdery like substance that tested presumptive for heroin and weighed approximately 7.3 grams.
They also found a Palmetto State Armory AR-10 loaded with 20 rounds with an extra 8 rounds loose in the vehicle.
Antonio Jerome Rivers Jr., 33, was transported to the hospital for medical evaluation after he complained of some pain.
He was charged with three counts of attempted murder for attempting to run over the three officers, trafficking heroin, trafficking cocaine, possession with intent to distribute marijuana, possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime, felon in possession of a firearm, and failure to stop for blue lights and sirens.
He was also charged with driving under suspension and received a seat belt ticket by the South Carolina Highway Patrol.
“NCPD removed a dangerous suspect who possessed illegal drugs and a weapon off our streets but, more importantly, our officers were not harmed while performing their duties,” said NCPD Chief Reggie Burgess. “That’s truly a blessing.”
Editor’s note: We have edited out portions of the more than 30-minutes of dashcam video from this vehicle pursuit and search for the suspect in order to shorten the video for our website.
