Fort Mill man facing 22nd felony charge in another pizza delivery armed robbery

A man already in the York County jail is facing his 22nd felony crime charge, this time for armed robbery of a pizza delivery driver in Lancaster County.

Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office has placed detainer warrants on Eric Neal Patton, 32, of Fort Mill in the Nov. 29 armed robbery of a Papa John’s Pizza delivery driver called to Usher Road in Lancaster, according to a report. Charges include armed robbery and possession of a firearm during the commission of a violent crime, a report states.

Patton has been in York County Detention Center since Feb. 5 on 21 felony charges, records show. On March 16, Rock Hill police arrested Patton on the 21st charge, in the Jan. 19 armed robbery of a Domino’s pizza delivery driver, The Herald reported last month.

In the Lancaster case, which involves the 22nd charge, a female delivery driver reported arriving at about 10 p.m., stopping at the intersection of Usher and Memorial Park roads to look for the address as a male approached her car and directed her to the next driveway, the report says. When the driver turned to face the suspect after reaching behind her for the pizzas, the report says, he was pointing what appeared to be a handgun wrapped in a sock at her.

“He demanded all her money and said he would shoot her if she did not comply,” the report states. The report did not state how much money was stolen.

A Fort Mill Police Department investigator, while attempting to locate Patton’s girlfriend in Lancaster County, shared information that Patton was in custody in York County, charged with robberies in several jurisdictions, including the robbery of another Papa John’s delivery driver, the report said.

Investigators say Patton was living on Spanish Villa Lane, a street over from Usher Road, in Lancaster at the time of the Nov. 29 Papa John’s robbery, the report says.

The investigators determined a cell phone taken from Patton when he was arrested in York County was used to place the Papa John’s order, the report states.

Patton remains in the York County Detention Center, according to the report.

This story was originally published April 13, 2017 at 5:46 PM with the headline "Fort Mill man facing 22nd felony charge in another pizza delivery armed robbery."