Three arrested in Darlington home invasion

Three Darlington men have been arrested in connection with a home invasion Thursday morning, according to a Darlington County Sheriff’s Office press release.

The crime happened about 12:30 a.m. Thursday. Several masked men broke into a home on Lide Springs Road and used a rifle and pistol to rob one of the people inside of an undisclosed amount of money, then fled, according to the release. One of the suspects also stole a racing motorcycle from a cargo trailer.

Soon afterward, Darlington police chased a white Ford Crown Victoria just off Society Hill Road, where the people in the vehicle got out and ran. Investigators determined the Ford belonged to one of the suspects in the home invasion, according to the release. The sheriff’s office Bloodhound Unit was called to the area and tracked two men to a nearby residence where they were arrested.

Damon Williamson, 28, of 121 Kennedy St., and Albert A. Gregg, 19, of 118 Nordell St., are each charged with first-degree burglary, armed robbery, grand larceny and kidnapping, as well as other charges related to the crime, the release said.

Williamson also faces charges in connection with the Darlington police chase, according to the release.

Another suspect, 20-year-old Byron Robinson, was found and arrested about 6:45 a.m. Thursday and faces the same charges in the Darlington County Sheriff’s Office case, the release said.

A fourth suspect has been identified in the crime, according to the release. Warrants are being issued for his arrest, which is expected to happen soon.

Investigators are still looking for the stolen motorcycle, described as a black and orange Suzuki Hayabusa 1300cc, the release said.

Anyone with information about this crime is asked to call the sheriff’s office at (843) 398-4501; Darlington County E-911 dispatch at (843) 398-4920; or Crime Stoppers of the Pee Dee at (888) CRIME SC (274-6372). Callers need not reveal their identities.

There have been at least six home invasions in Darlington County since May.

A week ago, two Hartsville men, 26-year-old Phillip Leroy Amerson and 21-year-old Justin Corey Anderson, were arrested after deputies said they robbed several people inside a Hartsville home Nov. 15. Amerson is charged with armed robbery, while Anderson is charged with grand larceny (value more than $1,000 but less than $5,000).

Another incident happened the night of Sept. 28 on Longleaf Drive near Darlington.

While deputies were responding to the call, dispatchers received another call that deputies weren’t needed at the scene. The residents told the deputies two men came into the residence and demanded money and drugs. The suspects robbed them of money and some jewelry, then left.

During the robbery, one of the suspects broke a glass and cut himself. The suspects tried to clean it up before they left, however. The blood was sent to the State Law Enforcement Division for DNA analysis.

No arrests have been made in connection with that case.

Earlier in September, four Hartsville residents were arrested on drug charges after deputies responded to a reported home invasion near Hartsville. James Mondrnea Carroway, 33; Ladreca S. Gibson, 32; and Kelvin Brown, 19, all of 711 Poplar St., are each charged with trafficking in crack cocaine, trafficking in cocaine and possession of marijuanawith intent to distribute, Darlington County Chief Deputy Sheriff Tom Gainey said in a previous interview. Pam Wheeler, 51, of 845 Hartland Drive, also is charged with possession of marijuana with intent to distribute.

Deputies were called to the Poplar Street residence about 5 a.m. Sept. 8. When they arrived, they were told someone had been taken from the residence by armed suspects who’d entered the residence and demanded to know where the victim had his drugs hidden.

When the suspects and the victim went outside into the yard, the person left inside the residence heard a gunshot. The suspects and victim were gone when deputies arrived, and a Be On the Lookout (BOLO) alert was issued. About an hour later, the victim, who’d suffered a wound to one of his hands, was found at a residence on Society Avenue in Hartsville, from where he’d called his mother’s residence. An EMS crew was called to the scene to treat the suspect, then take him to an area hospital.

Darlington County sheriff’s investigators have said they think there’s a link between two home invasions reported in May, one of which led to the shooting of a 66-year-old man.

The first incident happened about early the morning of May 3 on Marcus Drive in the Clyde community. Victims said six men forced their way into their home, stole money and said they were looking for a particular person. They left in a white or silver-colored Cadillac Escalade and a blue car, possibly a Pontiac Bonneville, after several shots were fired, likely into the air.

After the second incident, which happened early the morning of May 4 on D Street near Hartsville, a resident was found lying on his front porch after being shot. Several bullets from a large-caliber weapon had struck his home, and a 1984 Lincoln Continental not belonging to the victim was left at the residence with the motor still running.