Police | Suspect chased through woods, arrested

POLICE

MYRTLE BEACH

Suspect chased through woods, arrested

A Myrtle Beach man was being held in jail Monday after police said he was caught trying to break into cars on Saturday night.

Jonathan Keith Illingworth, 29, is facing six counts of breaking into motor vehicles or tanks, pumps, where fuel, lubricants stored; and one count each of resisting arrest and an unrelated charge of forgery, according to J. Reuben Long Detention Center booking records. Bail was set at $50,000.

Police were searching for a suspicious person who was looking into vehicles on Saturday night on Angel Court in the Myrtle Beach section of Horry County, said Sgt. Robert Kegler, spokesman for Horry County Police.

Officers located Illingworth and chased him into the woods. An officer used his Taser, but did not hit Illingworth, Kegler said.

Illingworth later tripped and fell over branches and surrendered after officers threatened to use the Taser again, Kegler said.

SURFSIDE BEACH

Man accused of assaulting woman

A Surfside Beach man was arrested Sunday after police say he choked and sexually assaulted a woman two days earlier with a 4-year-old child in the house, according to a police report.

Bail was set at $25,000 for Kevin Michael Cea, 41, who is charged with criminal domestic violence of high and an aggravated nature. He remains jailed at J. Reuben Long Detention Center outside of Conway.

The victim told police that Cea stopped at her house to drop off food for her and her children. While in the home, the two began to argue and Cea put his hands over the victim’s mouth to keep her from screaming for help, the report shows.

The victim told police she bit Cea’s hand until he let her go then she ran into the bathroom and locked the door. Cea then broke the house phone and threw the victim’s cell phone into the toilet of the spare bathroom, police reported.

Cea then broke down the door of the bathroom where the victim was hiding and pulled her into the kitchen by her neck. The victim told police that Cea began choking her and sexually assaulted her with his hands, according to police.

Cea threatened to have the victim arrested and have her child taken away from her if she called police, the report shows.

Local

or call the Myrtle Beach office at 448-3180.

MYRTLE BEACH

Myrtle Beach gas prices fall

For now, gas for your ride is a little bit cheaper.

The average retail gas prices in Myrtle Beach have fallen 1.2 cents per gallon in the past week, averaging $3.07 per gallon Sunday, according to GasBuddy.com, which operates more than 250 live gasoline price-tracking websites.

It reported prices in the Myrtle Beach area compares with the national average that has decreased to 2.6 cents per gallon in the last week to $3.29 per gallon, according to MyrtleBeachGasPrices.com.

Gas at Costco and Sam’s Club, presently at $2.99 per gallon, are among the examples of declining gas prices.

From staff reports