A Chester County man is accused of leading officers on a 17-mile chase that ended with him jumping out of his truck and into the Broad River.

David Ray Campbell, 22, of 1174 Ross Road, Blackstock, was charged Sunday by the Union Public Safety Department with failure to stop for a blue light and reckless driving. He was charged by the Highway Patrol with failure to stop for a blue light and other charges may be pending. He has been released from the Union County Jail on bonds totaling $3,445.

A report said Cpl. Tommy Hart was on patrol Saturday around 10:50 p.m. when he saw a small red truck make a right turn from Academy Street onto North Pinckney Street at a high rate of speed. The traffic light was green for northbound traffic and red for vehicles on Academy Street — the driver had not stopped for the red light.

Hart then saw the driver, identified as Campbell, go through another red light on North Pinckney without stopping or slowing down. Hart activated the blue light and siren on his patrol car.

Hart pursued the truck and caught up to it at the Country Store. He followed it north on S.C. 18. Just before Connector Road, the truck veered across the center line three times, the last time close to a south-bound car. Hart noted the license plate number of the truck. Due to traffic conditions and the recklessness of the truck driver, Hart terminated the chase. His supervisor, Sgt. Kevin Powers, notified him that a state trooper was in the vicinity and to try and keep the truck in sight. Without blue light and siren, Hart kept the truck in sight, maintaining a speed of 50 to 55 mph. Hart followed the truck onto Kelly Road. Other officers responded, including Highway Patrol and deputies. On the Peach Orchard Road, Hart saw Trooper Shane Petrie approaching. Petrie got behind the truck and Hart returned to the city limits.

Troopers and deputies followed Campbell to Lockhart, where his truck struck Sheriff David Taylor’s Dodge patrol car on a street in the village.

“He made a right turn and I was there coming up the road and he made contact with me,” Taylor said.

Taylor’s car sustained minor damage on the front.

In No Man’s Land under the Askew Bridge, Campbell jumped out, got into the water, came out on the other side and ran.

He surrendered at the Union County Jail Sunday and was booked in at 5:20 p.m.

Criminal sexual conduct

Another victim has come forward in a criminal sexual conduct cases lodged against a Union man.

Melvin Beam, 43, of 1208 West Main St., was charged Thursday by the Union County Sheriff’s Office with one count of first-degree criminal sexual conduct and one count of second-degree criminal sexual conduct. Warrants signed by Lt. Robbie Hines were served on Beam at the Union County Jail, where he has been held since Dec. 7 when he was originally arrested. He is accused of forcing a girl to perform sex acts over a period of several years.

Hines said during the investigation, a second victim also said Beam sexually molested her.

“She was referred to the Children’s Advocacy Center where she disclosed she had been sexually assaulted by Mr. Beam,” Hines said. “The case was turned over to the 16th Circuit Solicitor’s Office for consideration and we found validity in her story and we moved forward with the charges.”

Both girls now are teen-agers but told authorities they were 7 when Beam began forcing them to have sex.

Beam also is accused with two other inmates of plotting an escape attempt from the Union County Jail in December.

Inmate charged

One inmate is accused of attacking another at the Union County Detention Center.

Chauffery Basil Gilliam, 30, of 306 Hill St., was charged Friday with assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature. A report said Officer James Palmer told Deputy Russell Roark he saw Gilliam choke 30-year-old James Mobley until Mobley was unconscious.

Lines damaged

Deputies are looking for the person who used an axe to cut a service line on two utility poles on U.S. 176 Friday, an act that disrupted telephone service for around 40 people.

The incident occurred around nine miles south of Union, according to a report filed by Roark. Damage was estimated at $5,000.

Burglary

A victim on 105 Stoney Circle told Sgt. Russell Vinson Sunday that someone broke into his home and took $4,700 worth of items.

The victim said he came home and found the back door had been forced open. Missing are a 46-inch Vizo TV, a Play Station 3 and games, a fire safe, $2,000 in cash, two Hibbing High School rings, other jewelry, a Mossberg rifle, a .22 caliber long barrel pistol and a clip for it.

Strong armed robbery

A 13-year-old boy told Deputy Jermaine Smith Sunday that he was robbed of his cell phone by a man with a knife.

The robbery occurred around 7 p.m. on Arthur Street. The boy said a teen-ager wearing a black shirt, blue jeans and tennis shoes approached him with a knife in his hand and grabbed his Samsung Propel phone, which is worth around $50.

Drug arrest

Horace Eugene Rakestraw, 66, of 220 Woodgate Road, Cowpens, was charged Thursday by the Union Public Safety Department with distribution of a Schedule II substance and distribution within one-half mile of a school.

Arrest warrants signed by Investigator Mickey Parker said Rakestraw sold a quantity of Oxycodone to an informant at Veterans Park. This occurred near Foster Park Elementary School.