Convicted felon charged with attempted murder after firing at deputies in Jasper Co.

JASPER COUNTY, SC. (WTOC) - [UPDATE 1:09 p.m. 7/22/2025] The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division has provided additional details about Mays’ arrest.

According to SLED, Mays was driving a silver Mercedes Benz Coupe when he fled a traffic stop initiated by a Ridgeland police officer.

The Jasper County Sheriff’s Office then located Mays’ vehicle on Lowcountry Highway around 1:40 p.m. and initiated a traffic stop. The report states Mays was driving recklessly.

“The defendant removed an AR-style rifle from behind the vehicle and fired approximately four rounds through the windshield,” according to police reports.

Then, police say, “The defendant fled from the vehicle to a nearby abandoned property, where he was taken into custody by law enforcement.”

Additionally, a search of the defendant’s criminal history revealed a conviction for Pointing and Presenting a firearm on January 6, 2023.

This previous incident occurred in Jasper County and violates the SC Code of Laws as Amended.

[UPDATE 5:24 p.m. 07/21/2025] One suspect has been released and one suspect is facing charges after firing at deputies during a chase in Jasper County.

Lamarcus Mays is being charged with:

• Failure to stop for blue lights
• Unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon
• Possession of a firearm during the commission of a violent crime
• Attempted murder

In a press release, Jasper County Sheriff Chris Malphrus says “This is a dangerous job, and this incident is a reminder of the very real threats our deputies face each day in the line of duty.”

WTOC spoke with a woman, Demetria Williams, who was on the roadway when the high-speed chase ensued.

Williams says she was driving down the road with her kids in the car when the car flew by, followed by sheriff’s deputies.

“They actually just ran us off the road, we didn’t have enough time to slow down or anything,” Williams said.

Williams says she wishes the car had just stopped when police turned on their blue lights.

“You should have thought about other people’s lives rather than having them on this high-speed chase,“ Williams said. ”If you don’t have a license, just stop, you know what you got yourself into when you got on the road with no license. Just stop.”

[ORIGINAL STORY] Two people are in custody after firing at deputies during a pursuit.

Officials posted on their social media page Sunday afternoon that earlier in the day, deputies were in pursuit of a vehicle on Highway 462, between Old House Road and Snake Road, when two occupants in the vehicle fired at deputies before crashing and taking off on foot.

No deputies were injured during the incident.

Helicopters were out in the area helping to search for the suspects.

The Jasper County Sheriff’s Office had the area closed for hours while deputies investigated.