Georgetown County Sheriff’s Office urges public to help in search for missing man

A search in the waters near Chavis Landing for a missing man yielded nothing this week. After a car belonging to Harry L. Barkley was retrieved from the waters near Sirfield Road Monday afternoon, Georgetown and Williamsburg county sheriff’s offices used side-scan sonar to search for further evidence in the water.

Barkley was last seen Aug. 31 in Andrews and Georgetown. Because Barkley was last seen in Williamsburg County and his car was found submerged in Georgetown County, the search now spans both counties and involves their respective sheriff’s offices. Barkley’s car is being processed as evidence by law enforcement authorities.

“We are depending on the public now, if they’ve seen anything, to call us. That’s the way things get solved at this point,” said Jason Lesley, Georgetown County Sheriff’s public information officer.

Lesley said that because the search covers two counties, the Georgetown County Sheriff’s Office is especially dependent on the public to phone in with tips.

“Generally we have it pinned to a smaller area when it’s just one county. But being Williamsburg and Georgetown, we’re following any kind of a lead we can get,” he said.

Lesley urged anybody who “was a witness to something” to contact the sheriff’s office at 843-456-5102. That line is available 24/7, Lesley said.