South Carolina Man Facing Charges in Georgia After High-Speed Chase

A South Carolina man is behind bars in Hart County on multiple charges after a high-speed chase and crash that injured three people, including a pregnant woman and the Hart County Administrator.

According to Georgia State Patrol Sgt Ray Dean with Post 52 Hartwell, it started at about 4:30p Monday afternoon when the Hart County Sheriff’s office received word that Anderson County law enforcement was in pursuit of a single vehicle headed into Georgia.

Sgt. Dean tells WLHR News Troopers responded to the area, along with deputies with the Hart County Sheriff’s Office who led the pursuit beginning at GA 8 near Powderbag Creek Road.

“Deputies with the Hart County Sheriff’s Office responded to the area in an attempt to stop the vehicle using spot sticks before it got to the city but were unable to do so due to the speed of the fleeing vehicle,” Hart County Sheriff’s Office Chief Investigator Capt. Chris Carroll said. “The initial deputy made contact with the vehicle near Rhodella Rd on Highway 29.”

According to Carroll, it appeared that the vehicle was still traveling at over 100 mph in the opposite lane of travel.

“The second deputy made contact with the vehicle near Wendys on Highway 29 headed into town at a high rate of speed. Both deputies turned around on the vehicle but when they regained sight the vehicle had crashed into multiple vehicles at the intersection of Highway 29 and Old 29 Highway,” Carroll continued. “As the pursuit approached the city limits of Hartwell, the fleeing vehicle, a white 2011 Hyundai Sonata, continued to travel with reckless disregard for the motoring public.”

Sgt. Dean said as the fleeing Sonata traveled westbound through a red traffic signal, the front driver’s side of a white 2023 Ford Expedition struck the front passenger’s side of the fleeing Sonata in the intersection of GA 8 and Old Highway 29.

After impact, the rear driver’s side of the Sonata struck the driver’s side of a silver 2022 Ford Explorer in the eastbound right turn lane of GA 8.

The driver’s side of the Sonata then struck the front driver’s side of a tan 2004 Mitsubishi Diamante and then came to an uncontrolled rest, facing northeast, in the eastbound left turn of GA 8.

Dean said the crash caused multiple injuries that included a woman who is 33 weeks pregnant and Hart County Administrator Terrell Partain.

The driver of the Sonata, identified as 30-year-old Donnie Ray Holcombe, Jr. Of Iva, was subsequently arrested and transported to St. Mary’s Sacred Heart in Lavonia with non-life-threatening injuries.

The front seat passenger of the Sonata, identified as Chasity Hannah Gentry, 21 of Anderson, was life-flighted to Greenville Memorial Hospital with serious injuries.

The driver of the Expedition who is 33 weeks pregnant was transported by ambulance for precautionary measures to St. Mary’s Hospital in Athens

The driver of the Explorer, Hart County Administrator Terrell Partain, was transported to AnMed Health Medical Center in Anderson, South Carolina with non-life-threatening injuries.

The driver of the Diamante was not injured and did not seek any medical treatment.
Dean said in Georgia, Holcombe faces multiple traffic charges including felony fleeing and serious injury by vehicle.

In South Carolina, Holcombe was wanted on multiple charges from both the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office and Iva Police Department

The Anderson County Sheriff’s Office Fugitive Investigations Unit (FIU) spotted him on Highway 29 South and Trotter Road Monday afternoo and tried to pull him over but he fled into Georgia.

In South Carolina, Holcombe faces additional charges including Reckless Driving, Failure to Stop for Blue Lights, Assault and Battery x2, and Unlawful Possession of a Firearm.