Hart Co SO Assists South Carolina in High-Speed Chase and Arrest

Hart County Sheriff’s deputies were instrumental in securing the arrest of a North Carolina man involved in a high-speed chase last week in Oconee County.

It happened Wednesday evening, according to Oconee County Sheriff’s spokesman Jimmy Watt.

Watt said an Anderson County Sheriff’s deputy was involved in a high-speed chase out on I-85 Southbound when the deputy struck an 18-wheeler near Exit 2.

Hart County Sheriff Mike Cleveland said he and his deputies along with deputies from the Oconee County, SC Sheriff’s office responded to the scene.

“Somehow the guy got past them, jumped into the Anderson County patrol car, crashed it at the Welcome Center, and took off on foot. We all went up there and established a perimeter on our side of the lake. I and a couple of deputies went over there to assist them to close their perimeter. They took their canines, the Bloodhound, and a catch dog. He was down on the lake and he did not give up and I believe the canine got hold of him so he’s in custody,” Cleveland said.

Watt identified the suspect as 23-year-old Theodore Adrian Montejo, of Connelly Springs, NC.

Both Montejo, and the Anderson County deputy involved in the accident on the Interstate, were transported to the hospital for treatment of their injuries.

According to Watt, the Anderson County deputy suffered multiple lacerations to his right fingers, palm, and arm.

Montejo has also been charged, by the OCSO, with leaving the scene of an accident.

Watt said Montejo also caused damage to the vehicle access control gate at Lake Hartwell State Park,
where the pursuit concluded, according to an arrest warrant.

He said the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office is continuing its investigation.