Police: Man brutally attacks girl, fights firefighters

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SUMMERVILLE, SC (WCSC) - Police say an 18-year-old man was arrested after he forced a girl off the road, beat her and fought three firefighters in Summerville.

The Summerville Police Department charged the man, whose arrest records have since been expunged, with assault and battery, three counts of assault on a town employee and malicious injury.

The 16-year-old victim says that she was getting a ride home from two of her co-workers Saturday night. The girl said she noticed the 18-year-old, whom she knew, pulling up to the parking lot in a Honda Civic and told the driver to keep driving.

Police say the 18-year-old then began to follow the three who were in a Nissan Altima. According to police, when the victim’s car stopped for traffic, the man got out of his Civic and began yelling.

Authorities say man continued to follow the Altima to the intersection of Hutson Drive and Boonehill Road. A police report states that as both cars went through the intersection, the 18-year-old pulled in front of the victim’s vehicle causing their car to go into a deep ditch on Luden Drive.

The victim said the man then got out of his car and started banging on the Altima’s driver’s side window saying, “Get out of the car!”

According to the victim, as she crawled to the back seat in an attempt to get away, the man ran to the rear passenger window and punched the glass. The victims says he then opened the door and started punching her in the face.

The girl said the man hit her more than five times before grabbing her by the hair and arm and dragging her out of the car. Police say he then threw the girl into a ditch and started hitting her in the face and head.

According to a police report, at one point, the 18-year-old went to the top of the ditch and jumped on her. The victim said she was screaming for help during the attack.

Meanwhile, the girl’s two co-workers ran to a nearby fire station for help. Investigators say when the firefighters came to help the girl, the man began fighting them.

One firefighter says that as he attempted to stop the suspect, he punched the firefighter in the ribs. When the firefighter attempted to detain him, the firefighter says that he struck him in the chest.

According to officials, the man began to chase one of the victim’s co-workers. When one of the firefighters attempted to stop him, the suspect charged right into the firefighter, jumped a fence and continued to chase the co-worker, police say.

A police report states that as two of the firefighters tried to stop the suspect, he struck both firefighters and continued the chase.

Fire officials report that when two firefighters went to assist the girl, the suspect began to charge towards the victim. Two firefighters say they, with the help of a citizen, then tackled the man and restrained him until police could arrive.

The girl was transported to MUSC. The 18-year-old was locked up at the Dorchester County Jail.