Prisoner captured

Authorities say man was near Promised Land

August 7, 2007

By MIKE ROSIER
Index-Journal staff writer

Barry Myron Patterson didn’t quite make it to the promised land.
Local authorities had been searching for Patterson, 39, since Friday, when he walked away from Greenwood County Courthouse following a bond hearing.
The shoplifting suspect had been fettered to a transport chain along with several other prisoners on the short trip from the detention center, but was never secured to the chain again after the bond hearing completed.
An anonymous tip was phoned into police dispatch early Monday saying a man fitting Patterson’s description — he was arrested Thursday on a sixth shoplifting charge — was walking down Highway 10.
The man’s location was past the Highway 225 intersection and before Woodlawn Road headed in the direction of Promised Land.
Patterson’s last known address is listed as 212 Woodlawn Road in Greenwood — another possible point of destination on Monday.
Officers responded to the call and placed Patterson into custody. According to Maj.Urban Mitchell, he was arrested without incident.
Mitchell was grateful to the anonymous caller for the break.
“This is another case when we want to make sure and thank the citizens of Greenwood for helping out members of law enforcement,” he said.
Greenwood Police Chief Gerald Brooks was out of town and unavailable for comment.
Patterson is facing a 10-year prison term if convicted of a sixth shoplifting offense. An escape charge carries a maximum 10-year sentence.
Mitchell said Patterson was not considered armed and dangerous following the leisurely escape, as he had never displayed a history of violence.
It was thought Patterson might have been bound for Atlanta. He was missing for almost three days.
Brooks told The Index-Journal on Friday that once Patterson reached the courtroom for his hearing, a detective removed the suspect from the transport chain. Patterson was then served with an arrest warrant.
After being served with the warrant, he spoke with the judge.
Brooks said there was a “breakdown in communication” that resulted in Patterson not being secured to the transport chain with the other prisoners. The men left the courtroom together, but Patterson came up missing once the group made it to the bottom of the stairway.
An aggressive search ensued, but with no luck — until Monday

Logging truck overturns near Buzzard Roost

August 7, 2007

By MIKE ROSIER
Index-Journal staff writer

The destruction smelt of pine, burnt rubber and diesel fuel. A logging truck lay on its right side a mangled mess Wednesday afternoon.
Its full load of tree trunks having been forcibly ejected into the surrounding brush and flora off Highway 34 just ahead of the Buzzard Roost bridge, the twisted tractor trailer carcass steamed in the massive afternoon heat.
A telephone poll was damaged and in need of repair.
But Corey Dean was alive — and unharmed.
The 32-year-old driver of the Marion Logging truck based out of Plum Branch ran off the right side of the road at the top of the hill on Highway 34 across from an entrance to a Lake Greenwood boat landing.
Over the next 100 yards, Dean fought desperately for control.
Visible tread markings and chewed turf stood as a testament to the ferocity of the struggle. But he was battling the vehicle’s gathered forward momentum, gravity and the tremendous weight of the logs.
Eventually, the triumvirate was too much and the logs won. It was around 2:55 p.m., and when the end came, it happened quickly.
The truck’s left-side tires lost their grip on the highway quietly. Dean tumbled off into uncertainty.
“Once I drifted off (the road), I knew that I wasn’t supposed to try to snatch it back onto the road,” the Troy resident said, still visibly shaken. “It was too top-heavy though, and just turned over. It all happened quick.”
Dean said he has been driving for the company about a year.
“I just tried to hang on,” he added. “I was just in there hoping nothing came through that cab and hit me in the back of the head or anything.”
By the time Dean gathered his senses and pulled himself from the mess, Harry Brewer, a 14-year veteran of Chappells Fire & Rescue Squad, was the first emergency responder on the scene.
He saw the cab and an open door, but no driver.
“It looked pretty bad,” Brewer said. “It was kind of freaky to pull up and see all those logs laying everywhere and wonder where the man is.”
Dean was close by surveying the damage.
The 11-year trucking veteran told a Highway Patrol officer he was only traveling about 50 or 55 miles per hour when the truck left the highway.
Traffic moving in both directions on Highway 34 slowed to a crawl once a wrecker and crew arrived to right the truck and remove it. Other emergency responders and law enforcement units on the scene included Lower Lake Greenwood Fire Department, members of the state transport police and Greenwood County EMS.
Anthony Kelley, a lieutenant with Lower Lake Greenwood, took another look at the carnage and shook his head.
“He took a ride,” Kelley said. “He’s lucky.”

Obituaries

Ronnie Goldman

Ronald Ferrell “Ronnie” Goldman, 68, of 323 Cowhead Creek Road, husband of Patricia Goff Goldman, died Monday, Aug. 6, 2007, at his home.
Services will be announced by Blyth Funeral Home & Cremation Services.

Elizabeth Guice

LITTLE MOUNTAIN — Elizabeth “Betsy” Crowell Guice, died Monday, Aug. 6, 2007, at her home.
Services will be announced by McSwain-Evans Funeral Home, Newberry.

Joe Hatem

Joseph Michael “Joe” Hatem, 83, resident of NHC Healthcare, formerly of 101 Delmar Drive in Simpsonville, husband of Catherine Ruth Callahan Hatem, died Monday, Aug. 6, 2007 at the Self Regional Medical Center.
Born in Shawnee, OH, January 31, 1924 to the late Habib and Nashma Hatem Hatem, he was a US Army Veteran having served in World War II. A member of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, Mr. Hatem was formerly a member of the Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church in Mauldin, where he was a longtime member of the Knights of Columbus.
Surviving in addition to his wife of 62 years, also of NHC Healthcare, are daughters, Judy H. White and husband, Jeff of Simpsonville and Peggy H. Ficklin and husband, Gary of Greenwood; sons, Jim Hatem and wife, Bernie of Pickerington, OH, Tony Hatem and wife, Nancy of Coshocton, OH, Steve Hatem and wife, Cheryl of Columbus, OH, Tim Hatem and wife, Chrys of Seneca and Mike Hatem and wife, Debbie of Delaware, OH; brother, Bob Hatem and wife, Pat of Columbus, OH; 16 grandchildren; and 6 great-grandchildren.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be conducted Wednesday at 11:30 a.m. at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, with Reverend Father Timothy Tebalt officiating.
A private inurnment will be Thursday at Oakbrook Memorial Park.
The body is at Blyth Funeral Home and will be placed in the Daily Chapel at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church at 10 a.m., where the family will receive friends until the service hour.
Friends may also visit the family at the home of his daughter Peggy Ficklin, 107 Woodcrest Street, Greenwood.
Those desiring may make memorials to Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church Building Fund, 915 Mathis Road, Greenwood, SC 29649 in memory of Mr. Hatem.
For additional information and online condolences please visit www.blythfuneralhome.com.
Blyth Funeral Home & Cremation Services is assisting the Hatem family.

Nellie Lollis

HICKORY TAVERN — Nellie Allison Lollis, 89, of 166 Allison Road, Gray Court (Hickory Tavern Community), widow of William B. Lollis, Sr., passed away Sunday, Aug. 5, 2007 at Greenville Memorial Hospital.
She was born in Fork Shoals, a daughter of the late Joe D. and Estelle Smith Allison and was a member of Henderson Baptist Church and the Senior Adult Sunday School Class.
She was a homemaker and was known for her love of flowers and gardening.
Her surviving family, whom she loved dearly, are: a daughter, Evelyn Lollis, Inman, SC; two sons, Charlie Lollis and wife, Bonnie of Hickory Tavern and Robert Lollis and wife, Georgia of Ninety Six, SC; a brother, Earl Allison, Hickory Tavern; two sisters, Mary Evelyn Lollis and Hazel Chapman, both of Hickory Tavern; seven grandchildren, Sherri Cantrell, Hollie Coker, Gregg Lollis and Tony Lollis, all of Hickory Tavern, Brian Lollis and Travis Lollis of Ninety Six and Amy Leopard of Ware Shoals; and eight great-grandchildren.
She was predeceased by a son, William B. Lollis, Jr.
Funeral services will be conducted Wednesday, 2 p.m. at Henderson Baptist Church, with Rev. Stephen Payne and Rev. Gerald Crawford officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery.
Active pallbearers will be Gregg Lollis, Brian Lollis, Travis Lollis, Thomas Allison, Larry Dunn and Sam Lyda.
Honorary escort will be members of the Senior Adult Sunday School Class of Henderson Baptist Church.
The body will be placed in the church at 1 p.m. Wednesday. The family is at the home of Charles Lollis, 1760 Crawford Road, Gray Court, SC, and will receive friends Tuesday, 6-8 p.m. at Parker-White Funeral Home.

Jacqueline Spencer

Jacqueline Carolee Spencer, 38, of 606 Tabor St., died Monday, Aug. 6, 2007, at Self Regional Medical Center.
The family is at the home and the home of her grandmother, Annie Bell Lindsey, 303 Davis St.
Robinson & Son Mortuary Inc. is in charge.

Opinion

Rights are funny thing: They’re there for us all

August 7, 2007

South Carolinians are seeing - and hearing - more than their share of “debates” by presidential candidates. The numbers are more than usual for Democrats and Republicans seeking their party’s nomination. Furthermore, the candidates pretty much cover the political spectrum from one end to the other.
All the candidates, it appears, support and value the opportunities for campaigning available to them. Agree with any one of them, or not, they are free to deliver the message they want to get across to voters. The way things look, though, that support and value for all-encompassing debates are not reflected by many voters on both sides, particularly from the extremes on the right and left.

IF ANYTHING, THERE’S A noticeable amount of meanspiritedness among some people.
The majority of voters wants to hear what all the candidates believe in and maybe get a hint of what each might do if elected to the highest office in the land. There are some, though, who apparently don’t feel that way. For those on the extremes, conservative and liberal alike, there is an attitude that candidates who don’t believe what they believe should not have an opportunity to say anything. In fact, some get all bent out of shape because every candidate gets to publicly tell his or her story.
It’s not confined to candidates, though. It’s amazing sometimes, how some people, not only in politics but in general, think those who have different views should not have the same constitutional rights they enjoy. They even go so far as trying to confuse matters by idiotic obfuscation any way they can ..... even at times on these pages.

THE IRONY, OF COURSE, is that those people are free to exercise the right they would deny others. However, somehow, it seems, the irony escapes them and politics makes that clearer than anything else ..... except maybe religion.
These days there may be more differences over religion than politics. But, then, there are those who would deny others that right, too.
What we have, it appears, is a written assurance that we have the right to agree to disagree ..... on any subject we wish, including those that automatically play havoc with emotions.
At the same time, the rest of us have just as much right to speak our minds, despite those extreme conservatives and liberals who’d selfishly mandate otherwise.