(Walhalla, SC)-------------------------------------An Oconee County man remains in jail today, on a combined $161,000 surety bond, after his arrest late last week on outstanding drug trafficking and weapon charges.
29 year old Terry Dwayne Smith, who has listed addresses in Seneca and Fair Play, was booked into the Oconee County Detention Center at around 11:58am last Friday, June 14th. The outstanding arrest warrants were for charges of Trafficking in Methamphetamine, Trafficking in Fentanyl, Felony Possession of a Firearm, Possession of a Weapon during Commission of a Violent Crime and Simple Possession of Marijuana.
The charges against Smith were obtained after an investigation into an incident that occurred on the evening of Saturday, May 11th of this year at an address on Curtis Drive near Seneca. Deputies were dispatched to the scene due to reports of Smith shooting himself in the leg accidentally. Emergency responders were also dispatched to the scene.
When Deputies arrived, they observed a vehicle pulling out of the driveway at a high rate of speed, upon which a Deputy initiated a traffic stop on the vehicle at the intersection of Biggerstaff Road and Fairview Church Road.
At the traffic stop, a Deputy spoke with 23 year old Makenna Leeanna Ryan of Tiger, GA, who was the driver of the vehicle. A handgun was located inside of the vehicle while a magazine was located back at the incident scene. Ryan stated that another female, identified as 31 year old Sarah Margaret Whitten of Walhalla, had asked her for a ride and had placed the gun and some bags in her vehicle.
As the investigation continued, Deputies learned that Whitten had taken a black bag from a building on the property and placed it in the woods. Whitten was then observed taking the bag from the woods and then gave the bag to Ryan, who got into her vehicle and then attempted to leave at a high rate of speed.
Deputies then located the bag inside of Ryan’s vehicle. A search of the bag produced approximately 234 grams of Methamphetamine and approximately 4 grams of Fentanyl.
Based upon evidence obtained during the investigation, Ryan was arrested on May 11th and charged with one count each of Trafficking in Methamphetamine, Trafficking in Fentanyl and Accessory after the Fact of an Exempt Felony. According to an arrest warrant, Ryan attempted to conceal evidence of multiple violent felonies at a crime scene by removing a quantity of drugs and a firearm.
At this time, Ryan remains in jail on a combined $225,000 surety bond. Ryan will be required to wear an electronic monitoring device, as a condition of bond, should she be released from jail.
Besides the arrest warrants obtained against Smith and Ryan, Whitten was arrested on May 11th and booked into jail on a charge of Accessory after the Fact of an Exempt Felony based upon the same evidence used in same charge against Ryan. Whitten received a $25,000 surety bond and was released from jail on May 14th after posting bond.
Smith was transported to the hospital from the incident scene on May 11th for further treatment and evaluation of the injuries he sustained.
Based upon evidence obtained during the investigation, which included Smith being observed carrying a black bag into a building on the property, five arrest warrants were obtained by Deputies against Smith.
The Oconee County Sheriff’s Office is continuing its investigation.
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