York Co. deputy dies from injuries after shooting

January 17, 2018, 4:27 pm

≫ Next: Wet roads and sub-freezing temperatures bring ‘black ice’ concerns

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(WSPA) – The York County Sheriff’s Office announced Wednesday night that Detective Michael Doty died one day after he was shot during a search for a suspect.

Doty had been with the department for more than 11 years. He began his employment there on May 22, 2006.

Doty was one of four officers wounded early Tuesday morning. Two other York County deputies and a York police officers were also wounded when they responded to a call.

Sheriff Kevin Tolson says York County Sergeant Randy Clinton is awaiting surgery, while York County Sergeant Buddy Brown and York Police Sergeant Kyle Cummings are recovering.

Tolson says the officers were ambushed by 47-year-old Christian McCall on Tuesday.

Funeral arrangements for Doty will be made in the coming days.

It is with a heavy heart & great sadness that York County Sheriff Kevin Tolson announces the passing of Detective Michael R. Doty. #YCSOStrong #YCSOFamily #YoCoSheriff #SCnewshttp://www.yorkcountysheriff.com/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=33

— York County Sheriff (@YCSO_SC) January 18, 2018

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Wet roads and sub-freezing temperatures bring ‘black ice’ concerns

January 17, 2018, 5:01 pm

≫ Next: Crews work to keep roads safe in Spartanburg Co.

≪ Previous: York Co. deputy dies from injuries after shooting

(WSPA) – A 7 News crew spent Wednesday traveling Interstates 85 and 385, plus secondary roads like Highway 11 in northern Greenville County to see how the Upstate’s latest round of winter weather was impacting travel.

Joe Hovis with the South Carolina Highway Patrol says troopers have SCDOT crews to thank for pre-treating the interstates with salt brine ahead of the storm. Hovis says they responded to significantly less incidents on the roads compared to the more than 240 they dealt with during the Upstate’s December round of winter weather. He also attributes the public with following the warning of staying off the roads and the decisions by school district’s to keep students and teachers home.

Temperatures dipping into the teens overnight Wednesday into Thursday morning will bring the threat of black ice on the roads. Hovis says black ice is the ice you can’t see on the roads. He adds, “once you’re on it, it’s hard to get off.”

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Crews work to keep roads safe in Spartanburg Co.

January 17, 2018, 8:45 pm

≫ Next: Upstate out of race to land 2nd Amazon headquarters and 50K jobs

≪ Previous: Wet roads and sub-freezing temperatures bring ‘black ice’ concerns

SPARTANBURG COUNTY, SC (WSPA) – As temperatures dip, people are urged to stay off the roads.

The possibility for black ice could create dangerous driving conditions.

It’s the work crews have been getting ready for setting down salt ahead of the snow.

“We actually started this past Monday,” said James Woodward, SCDOT Resident Maintenance Engineer for Spartanburg County. “Worked all the way up until the storm began.”

Woodward says the northern side of Spartanburg County required more attention, though the work was spread throughout the county.

“Little more snow up north around the Campobello area. It was heavier so we had some more forces up there,” said Woodward. “We started removing the snow and then went behind with salt to keep anything from accumulating.”

Spartanburg County DOT’s 22 salt spreaders and 7 brine units got big help from a new salt brine tanker.

“Treat pretty much the width of the interstate in one pass,” said Woodward. “Allows us to get off and do more of the primaries in the past.”

SC Highway Patrol says most wrecks happened on secondary roads, but their attention now turned to black ice forming overnight.

“It’s really dangerous because it’s really hard to recognize on the road,” said South Carolina Highway Patrol Lance Corporal Joe Hovis.

As with other winter events, drivers are asked to be careful and watch for work crews too.

“If you see some of our guys working – slow down. Give them room to do what they need to do please,” said Woodward. “Stay home unless you absolutely have to be out.”

Click here to read more winter weather advice from the South Carolina Department of Public Safety.

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Upstate out of race to land 2nd Amazon headquarters and 50K jobs

January 18, 2018, 7:01 am

≫ Next: Duo charged in Greenville store hold-up

≪ Previous: Crews work to keep roads safe in Spartanburg Co.

(WSPA) – Georgia and North Carolina still have contenders, but Upstate, South Carolina will not be the home for Amazon’s second headquarters in North America.

The company announced 20 finalist cities for the HQ2 facility in the United States and Canada on Thursday morning. Atlanta and Raleigh were on the list of finalists for the facility that is expected to bring about 50,000 new jobs.

Amazon expects to invest $5 billion into the project. HQ2 is also expected to create thousands of additional jobs in the surrounding community.

Greenville and Spartanburg put in a combined bid for the headquarters – touting the area as “Charlanta” – on Interstate 85 between Atlanta and Charlotte.

The other cities or areas on the list are Austin, TX, Boston, Chicago, Columbus, OH, Dallas, Denver, Indianapolis, Los Angeles, Miami, Montgomery County, MD, Nashville, Newark, New York City, Northern Virginia, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Toronto and Washington D.C.

Amazon says 238 cities put in proposals to land the second headquarters. It expects to name the site for HQ2 sometime this year.

Today we are announcing the communities that will proceed to the next step in the HQ2 process. Getting from 238 to 20 was very tough – all the proposals showed tremendous enthusiasm and creativity https://t.co/x1bFYbk4Ui pic.twitter.com/J2x0HHzBTR

— Amazon News (@amazonnews) January 18, 2018

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Duo charged in Greenville store hold-up

January 18, 2018, 7:40 am

≫ Next: Your snow pictures

≪ Previous: Upstate out of race to land 2nd Amazon headquarters and 50K jobs

GREENVILLE, S.C. (WSPA) — Police say a man and a woman are charged in an armed robbery at a Greenville convenience store.

Greenville Police Department said on the agency’s official Facebook page that officers worked together to apprehend two suspects Thursday morning.

Police responded around midnight to a robbery at the Kangaroo Express store at 906 Haywood Road.

Officers were told a man and woman stole three cases of cigarettes and pointed a revolver during the robbery – taking a store clerk’s cell phone.

A police officer spotted a vehicle matching one the suspects were believed to be in about an hour later at another nearby gas station.

Police say they arrested India Sky Vance at Pumpers Gas Station on South Pleasantburg Drive. But another suspect, identified as Michael Lamont Jones, fled on foot.

Jones was tracked to a shed on Scarlet Street by K-9s.

Police say Vance faces charges of robbery, possession of cocaine and possession of drug paraphernalia, while Jones is charged with robbery and interfering with police.

Both suspects could face more charges.

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Your snow pictures

January 18, 2018, 8:07 am

≫ Next: Victim ID’d in fatal I-26 crash in Spartanburg Co.

≪ Previous: Duo charged in Greenville store hold-up

Here are the pictures you sent to us on your snow day.

You can send your pictures to us on our Facebook page or on the Report It section of our website or app.

Wednesday’s snow in Upstate and WNC

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Victim ID’d in fatal I-26 crash in Spartanburg Co.

January 18, 2018, 9:58 am

≫ Next: Report of shots fired at apartment complex in Anderson

≪ Previous: Your snow pictures

SPARTANBURG, SC (WSPA) – Troopers say several people were hurt and one person killed in a four-car crash on Interstate 26 in Spartanburg County.

The wreck happened around 8:15 p.m. on Jan. 15 on westbound I-26 at mile marker 20.

Lance Cpl. Justin Sutherland with the S.C. Highway Patrol said a 47-year-old Clyde, N.C. man driving a 2010 Honda crossed the median, hit the cable barrier and continued in the wrong direction – hitting three vehicles in the eastbound lane.

The driver of one of those three vehicles, a Chevolet SUV, later died from injuries at Spartanburg Regional Medical Center, Sutherland said.

Two passengers in the SUV, including a 35-year-old woman and juvenile were taken to the hospital.

The deceased driver is Randy Steven Oberdier, 68, of McSwain Dr. in Clinton, according to coroner Rusty Clevenger.

Oberdier died due to internal injuries.

An Inman man and a juvenile passenger in a 2016 Chevrolet pickup truck were also hurt when they were hit, Sutherland said.

Troopers say the driver who crossed the median was hospitalized.

The conditions of the other five people hurt were not immediately available.

S.C. Highway Patrol is still investigating.

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Report of shots fired at apartment complex in Anderson

January 18, 2018, 11:31 am

≫ Next: Icy roads create problems for drivers and DOT

≪ Previous: Victim ID’d in fatal I-26 crash in Spartanburg Co.

(WSPA) – The Independent Mail is reporting that law enforcement officers in Anderson County responded to a report of shots fired at Ashford Cove Apartments off of Clemson Boulevard around 2 p.m. Thursday afternoon.

Several officers, including police and the sheriff’s office’s SWAT team, responded to the apartment complex.

According to the Independent Mail, Capt. Mike Aikens said one man allegedly walked up to another man in his early 30s and shot him.

The shooting victim was reportedly taken to AnMed Health Medical Center.

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Icy roads create problems for drivers and DOT

January 18, 2018, 1:26 pm

≫ Next: New bill could help volunteer firefighter shortage

≪ Previous: Report of shots fired at apartment complex in Anderson

GREENVILLE, S.C. (WSPA) – Officials are warning people to stay off snow and ice-covered roads in the Carolinas.

The snow has stopped in our area, but black ice is a major concern on secondary and rural roads.

Crews with the S.C. Department of Transportation (SCDOT) continued to work around the clock to clear roads, but there are some places that have been harder for crews to get treat.

Because of that, some neighbors in those areas have stepped in to try to clear iced over roads where other neighbors ended up ditching their cars because the road was impassable.

The DOT says there are some secondary roads that are more difficult for them to get to.

“There’s a lot of shady areas, and those are areas that are hard for us to get to until Mother Nature helps us out,” said Chris Madden, an assistant maintenance engineer for SCDOT.

Hospitals in Greenville County say they’ve seen quite a few weather related visits to their emergency rooms.

“We’re seeing a lot of knee, hip injuries, back injuries when folks fall, and arm injuries too when they reach out to protect themselves from falling,” said Scott Carley, a physical therapist for Bon Secours St. Francis.

They caution if people have to be out in the elements to be careful and walk slowly.

“Make sure your body weight is directly over your feet and knees, so that will prevent the feet from slipping out in front of you,” Carley said.

The DOT says if people have a road that is a problem near their home, they can call their county DOT office or city or county Public Works Department to report the road.

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New bill could help volunteer firefighter shortage

January 18, 2018, 3:27 pm

≫ Next: Area school districts protecting against flu

≪ Previous: Icy roads create problems for drivers and DOT

A new Senate bill filed at the federal level could help curb the growing shortage of volunteer firefighters. The bill would make volunteers eligible for a federal student loan forgiveness program.

The way it would work if it passes, after paying on the loans for ten years and dedicating ten years to the volunteer service, the remaining loans would be forgiven. This is a solution to a problem years in the making. Current volunteer firefighters have not joined the departments at as high of a rate as past generations. This creates departments filled with older firefighters and an increased demand in staffing needs.

“When we look and consider a department that is aging out and isn’t receiving that young help, it will ultimately reach a demise and no longer have anyone left to provide the service,” said Bryan Riebe who is the Recruitment & Retention Coordinator for SC Firefighters Association.

If a solution isn’t found soon, some firefighters predict in the next decade there may only be paid firefighters, which would cause communities to raise taxes in order to pay them.

The current bill is sponsored by a Montana senator and is in the early stages. Stay with 7News for updates as it progresses through Congress.

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Area school districts protecting against flu

January 18, 2018, 3:43 pm

≫ Next: Power restored for Clinton residents

≪ Previous: New bill could help volunteer firefighter shortage

(WSPA) – We’ve had a few snow days here this week, but in school districts across the country the number of flu cases has gotten so bad schools have had to close for days.

We checked in with local districts about what they’re seeing and doing to curb the spread.

A school in Mecklenburg County North Carolina is one of a growing number throughout the country that have had to close in the last two weeks because of a flu outbreak. 160 students at Carmel Christian School called out sick and the school later shutdown for 2 days.

It’s a similar story at schools in Texas, Oklahoma and Idaho.

Anne Mac at Emergency MD in Boiling Springs, says doctors offices in the Upstate are getting flooded with flu patients.

“We’ve heard from patients that pharmacies are out of Tamiflu which is bviously significant and speaks to the volume of flu that we’re seeing,” said Mac.

We reached out to all 13 school districts in Spartanburg, Greenville and Anderson, and so far none have seen an outbreak.

School districts are only required to report flu cases to the state, if the number reaches 5% of a classroom threshhold, or 10% above the normal absentee rate, of the entire student population.

And while that hasn’t happened in our area yet, school districts like Greenville are being proactive.

“Anytime a student has a fever we’ve asked our school nurses to as quickly as possible kind of isolate that student and ask a parent to pick up as quick as possible. We’ve also given some instruction to our custodial staff for them to really double clean areas that might be a once over, water fountains, touchable surfaces like door handles, table tops, where you get a lot of little fingers on things and spread germs,” said Beth Brotherton with Greenville County Schools.

The Centers for Disease Control warns, even though we are seeing a spike in flu cases right now across the US, this may not be the peak of the season.

Health professionals say the best defense is the least costly frequent hand washing.

“I think it’s more important than people realize,” said Mac.

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Power restored for Clinton residents

January 18, 2018, 4:01 pm

≫ Next: Warrant issued for Lavonia bank robbery suspect

≪ Previous: Area school districts protecting against flu

CLINTON, SC (WSPA) – Power was restored Thursday night for hundreds of upstate residents who were without power in Clinton due to a malfunctioned transformer.

City officials said they first noticed an issue around 7 a.m. Thursday when a transformer went out at the city’s substation off of Gary Street.

City leaders said the snow and ice could have played a factor in the transformer malfunction, but said there’s no exact reason yet.

Crews then hauled in a 35,000 pound back up transformer across town, and spent hours getting the lights and heat up and running again.

The city said there were initially about 1,100 people without power, then that number fell to 100 for most of the day. All 1,100 were then back without power for a shorter period of time while crews got the new transformer working.

“Our electric line guys are out here in the cold. They don’t care if it’s getting our citizens back with power,” Amanda Greer, Clinton city manager, said. “We have people that have small children. We’ve got people that are emergency, that are on oxygen, and things like that, so we’ve got to make sure that we’re taking care of our customers.”

The city also offered a warming shelter for anyone seeking refuge from the cold.

City officials told us that this is the first time in 30 year that they had to deal with this kind of issue.

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Warrant issued for Lavonia bank robbery suspect

January 18, 2018, 6:13 pm

≫ Next: Free wildlife show planned this weekend in Greenville

≪ Previous: Power restored for Clinton residents

LAVONIA, Ga. (WSPA) – Lavonia Police Department officials said they have secured a warrant for a suspect in a bank robbery last week.

We reported earlier that the police department was looking for a man who robbed Northeast Georgia Bank inside Dill’s Food City on Augusta Road on Jan. 12 around 6:10 p.m.

On Thursday, the police department post on their Facebook page that the bank robbery case had been “solved and a warrant has been secured for the suspect.”

The police department said they hope to release more details Friday morning.

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Free wildlife show planned this weekend in Greenville

January 19, 2018, 2:55 am

≫ Next: Seneca man dies after being run over, dragged 1,600 feet by wife

≪ Previous: Warrant issued for Lavonia bank robbery suspect

(WSPA)–A Greenville-based wildlife organization will have a free animal show this weekend at Cabela’s on Woodruff Road.

According to the retailer, Wildlife Geeks is a local nonprofit whose mission is to educate our youth about animals and conservation. They teach audiences to appreciate wildlife and protect animal species from around the world.

On Saturday and Sunday at 1pm, participants will have a chance to interact with live animals from China to Madagascar. The show is free.

For more information about Wildlife Geeks, click here.

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Seneca man dies after being run over, dragged 1,600 feet by wife

January 19, 2018, 3:00 am

≫ Next: Marine Corps hosting volleyball clinic in Spartanburg

≪ Previous: Free wildlife show planned this weekend in Greenville

OCONEE Co., S.C. (WSPA) — Authorities say a man is dead after he was run over by his wife and then dragged down the street.

It happened Thursday night near the couple’s home on South Townville Street in Seneca.

Oconee County Coroner Karl Addis identified the victim as John Bright.

The 25-year-old man’s body was dragged by a pickup truck north on South Townville Street after he was hit at or near his driveway to South Seventh Street and to South Fairplay Street, Addis said in a news release.

He later died at the scene from multiple injuries.

His death is under investigation by the Seneca Police Department and S.C. Highway Patrol.

According to an incident report, his wife, Taylor Louise Bright, 22, told police that she and her husband were at a home in the 700 block of South Townville Street when a domestic incident occurred.

She said she had left the home driving the truck with their daughter inside, and said when she left her husband was outside of the truck.

Taylor Bright said after she turned the vehicle onto South Fairplay Street, she noticed that the truck wasn’t working correctly, so she stopped the truck and said that’s when she found him underneath the vehicle.

According to her arrest warrant, the suspect hit her husband with the front of her vehicle — a 2005 Dodge Ram — and he then became trapped underneath the vehicle.

The warrant indicated that she then reportedly dragged him 1,600 feet.

Officers conducted a field sobriety test on the suspect, and during the test she reportedly admitted to smoking marijuana that day, as well as consuming four beers at a friend’s house.

According to the report, officers smelled alcohol coming from her and she was arrested.

She faces charges of reckless vehicular homicide and felony driving under the influence.

Taylor Bright was taken to the Oconee County Detention Center.

According to the Seneca Police, a bond hearing for Taylor Bright has been scheduled for 10 a.m. Saturday in Seneca Municipal Court.

The victim’s death has now been classified as a homicide, according to the coroner’s office.

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Marine Corps hosting volleyball clinic in Spartanburg

January 19, 2018, 3:21 am

≫ Next: Emily’s Events: Jan. 19-21

≪ Previous: Seneca man dies after being run over, dragged 1,600 feet by wife

(PRESS RELEASE) SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Built to Lead Volleyball presented by the USMC Sports Leadership Academy will be hosting a free event Saturday, January 20 at Upward Star Center (9768 Warren H Abernathy Hwy Spartanburg, SC 29301).

Built to Lead Volleyball presented by the USMC Sports Leadership Academy provides participants with first-class instruction from elite volleyball coaches in the area. But through a partnership with the United States Marine Corps it also provides participants with the leadership intangibles that will make them Built to Lead.

At the event, participants will take part in skill sessions on various courts, each court focusing on a different, vital volleyball skill. They will also receive a Built to Lead Evaluation at the end of the day.

Between skill sessions and evaluation, participants will have the opportunity to be challenged, motivated, and to interact with members of the U.S. Marine Corps and learn key skills from the men and women who best exemplify what it means to lead. Amber Haver, Head Coach at Columbia International University, and other area coaches will provide skill instruction at the event.

The January 20th event marks the second year the USMC Sports Leadership Academy has visited Spartanburg. The Upward Star Center also hosted an event March 18, 2017.

The free event begins at 9 a.m. and concludes at 4 p.m. following the awards presentations and closing ceremony. The seven top performers will receive All-Academy medals. All participants receive a USMC Sports Leadership Academy t-shirt and free lunch as well as a camp swag bag. The event is open to anyone between the age of 15 and 19 years of age and is made possible in part by sports equipment manufacturer, Spalding. Limited registration is available at www.usmcsports.com.

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Emily’s Events: Jan. 19-21

January 19, 2018, 3:52 am

≫ Next: Hometown Spotlight: Upstate family works to encourage blood donation

≪ Previous: Marine Corps hosting volleyball clinic in Spartanburg

(WSPA) — Here’s a look at Upstate events through Jan. 21.

South Carolina Restaurant Week is wrapping up on Sunday. It’s a great opportunity to try a new restaurant at a discounted price. Spartanburg has 15 restaurants getting in on the action and in Greenville there are 40 participating.

You don’t need tickets but reservations are encouraged.

Click or tap here to find out which restaurants are participating in the annual celebration.

The Greenville Swamp Rabbits are sticking it to cancer on Friday.

The team will wear special ‘stick it to cancer’ jerseys as they take on Atlanta. The game will celebrate cancer survivors and the proceeds will benefit the American Cancer Society.

It’s happening at 7 p.m. at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena and you can still get tickets online by clicking here.

Attention all DIY-ers: The Greenville Remodeling Expo is happening Friday through Sunday at the TD Convention Center.

Vendors there will offer services and products to help you remodel every part of your home. It only costs $5 for adults to attend and anyone under 18 can get in for free.

Click or tap here for more details.

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Hometown Spotlight: Upstate family works to encourage blood donation

January 19, 2018, 4:05 am

≫ Next: Help police find missing woman last seen in Asheville

≪ Previous: Emily’s Events: Jan. 19-21

(WSPA) — In this week’s Hometown Spotlight, 7 News is close to home highlighting a cause that can save lives.

The Blood Connection said their bank needs blood donations now more than ever.

The Lister family went through a traumatic sickness with their son. As he battled the illness, he had an emergency need for blood. That experience prompted his mom, Alison Lister, to regularly give blood. She even took a job working for the Blood Connection.

Blood donor recruiters with the Blood Connection said flu season and the cold weather have increased the need for blood.

They’re asking the community to help replenish reserves.

You can donate at any of the Blood Connection locations or find their mobile unit schedule online by clicking or tapping here.

Med-Trans Corporation is another agency that relies on your donations to save lives. Flight paramedic Monica Copeland said their unit is always carrying two units of blood and plasma.

She said the supplies have saved countless lives by getting blood to patients faster. Click here to read more about MedTrans Corporation.

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Help police find missing woman last seen in Asheville

January 19, 2018, 5:45 am

≫ Next: Missing man accused of child sex crimes found in McDowell Co.

≪ Previous: Hometown Spotlight: Upstate family works to encourage blood donation

ASHEVILLE, N.C. (WSPA) — Police are asking for the public’s help finding a woman who hasn’t been seen since in two weeks.

Asheville police are searching for 27-year-old Samantha Arriaga. Police said Arriaga was last seen at Deaverview Apartments on January 5.

Arriaga is described as 5 feet 1 inch tall with black hair and green eyes. She has several tattoos including a vine from her left shoulder down her left arm, a spider web on her upper left arm and a tattoo on her chest of a lotus symbol with swirl patterns near her collar bone.

Samantha Arriaga (Source: Asheville Police Dept.)

Anyone with information on Arriaga’s whereabouts is encouraged to contact the Asheville Police Department at 828-252-1110 or Crime Stopper at 828-255-5050.

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Missing man accused of child sex crimes found in McDowell Co.

January 19, 2018, 7:32 am

≫ Next: 1 shot on Hillcrest Dr. in Easley, possibly drug related

≪ Previous: Help police find missing woman last seen in Asheville

McDowell Co., NC (WSPA) – McDowell Co. deputies say they have found a missing man accused of inappropriate sexual contact with a young girl.

John Wesley Conner, 50, of Mountain Hemlock Drive in Marion is charged with three counts of taking indecent liberties with a child and one count of statutory rape, according to a report by the sheriff’s office.

Family members reported him missing on Jan. 16.

They say he told them he was threatening to harm himself, according to the report.

Allegations surfaced that Conner had sexual contact with the 11-year-old girl on multiple occasions during their investigation, according to detectives.

Conner was found and taken into custody Friday morning.