I-77 Traffic Stop Leads to Chase

CHESTER, S.C. (CN2 NEWS) – An arrest in a car chase that reached speeds of more than 130 mph. This happened Monday, March 21st around 1:30 AM when South Carolina Highway Patrol officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop near mile marker 62 on Interstate 77.

Authorities say the driver, Christopher Scott Mackins, was arrested with the aid of the Chester Drone Team and Chester K9 Team. Mackins faces charges of Failure to Stop for a Blue Light and Driving Under Suspension.

Press Release from Chester County Sheriff’s Office:

On Monday, March 21, 2022 at approximately 1:30 a.m., deputies conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle near mile marker 62 on I-77.

When the offender’s vehicle reached a stop, two subjects, both passengers, stepped out of the vehicle with their hands up. Immediately after the passengers stepped out, the driver, later identified as Christopher Scott Mackins, sped away from the scene.

A chase ensued reaching speeds of over 130mph. Mackins made numerous evasive maneuvers, eventually exiting I-77 at Great Falls Highway exit 55. The chase continued to the Boyd Road area of Chester County where deputies lost sight of the vehicle.

The Chester County Sheriff’s Office, along with the South Carolina Highway Patrol saturated the area where the vehicle was last seen. After a short time, law enforcement spotted Mackins, and a short chase ensued once again. The chase ended on Columbia Street, in the city of Chester, as Mackins exited the vehicle and fled on foot.

Both the Drone Team and K9 Team were deployed to assist in the search. The Drone Team utilized the thermal camera to find Mackins in the dark. The K9 Team, utilized both the tracking ability of the dogs in combination with the visual aid from the drone to apprehend Mackins without incident.

The Chester County Sheriff’s Office is seeking charges of Failure to Stop for a Blue Light and Driving Under Suspension. Mackins is also wanted in numerous jurisdictions listed below:

Mecklenburg County, North Carolina
Gaston County, North Carolina
Laurens County, South Carolina
Spartanburg County, South Carolina
Clover, South Carolina

Thank you to the Chester County Sheriff’s Office teams, the South Carolina Highway Patrol, and the Chester Police Department for assisting in this incident. 

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