Man charged after flames engulf SUV following chase

BERKELEY COUNTY, SC (WCSC) - Authorities say a habitual traffic offender was put behind bars Monday after a chase ended with his Range Rover being engulfed and destroyed by flames.

According to the Berkeley County Sheriff's Office, a detective was patrolling the area of Pineshadow Drive and Bayshore Boulevard on Monday around 9:45 p.m. when they spotted 27-year-old Demar Bacon, of North Charleston, driving a 2006 Range Rover.

The detective said Bacon was known to be driving on a suspended license, so he tried to pull him over, but Bacon accelerated and turned into the St. James subdivision.

The detective said he followed Bacon into the neighborhood until he saw that the Range Rover's headlights had been turned off. Because they were in a residential area, the detective decided the safer option was to cancel the chase.

A short time later, a Berkeley Co. deputy said he was driving behind Bacon on Snake Road but had not turned on his blue lights. That deputy then saw Bacon crash his SUV into a power pole at NAD Road and Goose Creek Drive.

Bacon, who was also wanted by Goose Creek police, was arrested at the scene. Deputies said they found marijuana and over $1,700 in cash on Bacon.

While deputies were there, they noticed a power line attached to the pole had been snapped during the wreck, which started a grass fire under the SUV.

The fire soon engulfed the vehicle, and despite deputies' attempts to extinguish the blaze, it destroyed the SUV.

Deputies said they could hear what sounded like exploding ammunition coming from the vehicle.

Bacon was charged with failure to stop for blue lights, habitual traffic offender, and possession of marijuana. He was granted a $45,000 bond, but remained behind bars Wednesday at the Hill-Finklea Detention Center.

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