Victims carjacked at businesses in Myrtle Beach, Carolina Forest: reports
Two men face charges for alleged carjackings at businesses in Myrtle Beach and Carolina Forest in the past week.
On Wednesday, Myrtle Beach police officers went to the Best Buy, 1145 Oak Forest Lane, for a reported robbery. The victim said she was sitting in a parked car when the suspect approached with a knife, according to arrest warrants.
The suspect, who was wearing a hood, robbed her and tried to take her car, the warrants state.
Police quickly found a man - later identified as Michael Elazeruth Kentorius Hagood - who matched the suspect’s description. Hagood admitted to robbing the victim and trying to take her car, according to the warrants.
Officers charged Hagood, 18, of Pickens, with armed robbery, carjacking, kidnapping and possession of a weapon during a violent crime. He is being held in J. Reuben Long Detention Center on $400,000 bond.
On Thursday, Horry County police went to the Renee Drive in Carolina Forest for a reported carjacking. A witness said a woman stopped at a gas station air pump. She started to put air in a tire when the suspect got into the vehicle, according to a police report.
The victim tried to stop the suspect, but he drove away with the woman partially hanging out of the car, according to the report.
The suspect then pushed the victim out of the vehicle and fled, the report states.
Witnesses helped care for the victim and called for police after the incident. The victim’s husband tracked the woman’s phone, which was still in the car.
Police tried to pull over the car, but the driver refused to stop, according to the report. The driver crashed a short time later and was arrested.
Officers charged Jason Britt Willetts, 35, of Whiteville, North Carolina, with failure to stop for blue lights, assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature and strong armed robbery in connection to the case. He remains in J. Reuben Long Detention Center as bond has not been set in his case.
