Staff Writer

A Union teen-ager who was free on bond for breaking into area car washes is accused of striking one of the businesses again.

Bradley Scott Breakfield, 17, of 259 Eaves Road was charged Tuesday by the Union Public Safety Department with second-degree burglary and petit larceny. In an unrelated case, he is charged with malicious damage to property.

Arrest warrants signed by Investigator Brian Bailey said Breakfield broke into Greer's Carwash on 110 North Duncan By-Pass Sunday and took around $100.

Breakfield was charged on June 3 with three counts of second-degree burglary and three counts of petit larceny. He is accused of breaking into Classic Carwash, Greer's Carwash and A&O Carwash between March 22 and April 23.

Chief Sam White said Breakfield was a suspect in the Sunday break-in because of his prior arrest.

“Through the investigation by Brian Bailey and after questioning, he admitted to breaking into it this time,” White said.

The malicious damage charge against Breakfield was lodged as the result of an incident on Aug. 11. Breakfield's mother, who lives on 105 North Enterprise St., told Officer Scott Hood that Breakfield picked up a stick and broke the windshield on her 1999 Plymouth after she wouldn't let him borrow $5.

Breakfield is being held in the Union County Jail on bonds totaling $12,188.

Hay stolen

Sheriff's deputies are lookingfor suspects in the theft of $5,000 worth of hay.

The theft was reported at Drake Farms on Delta Road Wednesday. Phillip Drake told Sgt. Jimmy Johnson that someone took 100 large round bales of hay and a number of smaller square bales.

Some of the hay was taken from a barn and some was stolen from an adjacent field.

Drake said he thought whoever took the hay used his equipment to move it.

Assault charges

Roommates who assaulted each other both face criminal charges.

Michael Andrew Rhinehart, 38, and Ronald Lynn Gault, 51, both of 227 Haas St., were charged Monday by the Union County Sheriff's Office with assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature.

The fight involving the men occurred Saturday night at their home.

A report said deputies responding found Rhinehart lying in the back yard with a stab wound to his upper left chest. Rhinehart said he and Gault had been arguing, he hit Gault and Gault stabbed him.

Deputies found Gault in the house, bleeding from his left arm and with knots and bruising on both arms. He said he sat down on the couch to eat and he and Rhinehart got into an argument over ice trays not being filled. He said Rhinehart began hitting him in the head with his fist. Gault said he had a knife he was using to cut his food and he stabbed Rhinehart to defend himself. He said the knife handle broke when he stabbed Rhinehart. He said Rhinehart then got a stick and began hitting him until the stick broke. Rhinehart then got a walking cane and began hitting him with it until it broke.

Several people there witnessed all or some of the fight.

Deputies found the broken cane and parts of the stick. The blade of the knife was found on the front porch.

Both Rhinehart and Gault were transported to Wallace Thomson Hospital for treatment.

Thefts

On 2408 Carlisle Whitmire Highway, a victim told Deputy Roxie Belue Monday that someone went into his garage and his work truck and took several power tools. The stolen items are worth $2,508 and include nail guns, an air compressor, a power saw, a jigsaw, skill saws, and a rubber/metal hammer.

On 326 Wesley Chapel Road, a woman told Sgt. Russell Vinson Monday that he came home from work and found his back door had been forced open. Around $1,350 worth of guns, a safe, a lock box and a piggy bank with coins and currency were taken. The guns included a Savage 270 bolt action rifle with scope and sling, a Ruger 10-22 stainless with scope, a Ruger 10-22 with a woodgrain stock and a World War II bolt action military rifle.

Also on Monday, a victim on 201 Canterbury Road told Officer Robbie Vanderford with the Union Public Safety Department that someone took his Labrador retriever and his beagle from his yard. They are worth $400.

On 14307 Highway 56, a victim reported to Sgt. Jimmy Johnson with the sheriff's office Saturday that someone took two boats from his property which are worth $2,400. One boat was a 24-foot tri-hull, fiberglass with a walk-through windshield. It is brown and white with a white trailer. The boat had been stripped down inside.

The second boat is a 1992 Spitfire, fiberglass ski boat with an inboard/outboard 302 motor and an Alpine One out drive. It is blue and white with yellow interior.