Civilian on SC ride-along helps arrest gun-toting felon fighting deputy after crash

A Camden man out on bond for burglary and armed robbery charges attempted to speed away from a deputy during a car chase and was apprehended after assaulting the officer and escaping the patrol vehicle on foot, according to officials.

A Kershaw County Sheriff’s Office Traffic Unit deputy saw a Chevrolet Malibu with Georgia license plates speeding on S.C. 34 near Camden around 2:30 a.m. Saturday, according to a news release from the office.

When the officer activated his blue lights and siren, Richard Herman Roach III sped up in the Malibu and attempted to flee, reaching speeds of up to 100 mph.

The driver turned onto Precipice Road and lost control of the rental car when he attempted a right turn onto Dove Road and wrecked, the release stated.

The deputy approached the vehicle and saw Roach reaching under the front seat of his car. He then pulled Roach, who was uninjured, out of the vehicle by his belt.

Roach, 27, of Black River Road then reportedly struck the deputy in the forehead with his elbow and scuffled with the officer.

A civilian who was on a ride along with the deputy came to the officer’s aid and helped place Roach in handcuffs.

While being transported to the Kershaw County Detention Center, Roach kicked the rear door of the patrol car and escaped on foot.

A K9 unit with the sheriff’s office captured him a short time later.

A search of the car revealed a loaded Ruger .45-caliber pistol under the front seat of the car, the release stated. He also reportedly had a small bag of marijuana in his pants pocket.

Roach is a convicted felon on federal probation.

Roach was previously arrested for narcotics, federal probation violation, giving false information, receiving stolen goods, forgery, murder, armed robbery and first degree burglary.

Kershaw County Sheriff Jim Matthews described Roach as a dangerous person.

“He is a convicted felon caught with a gun,” Matthews said.” He led deputies on a high speed pursuit. He fought and assaulted a deputy during his arrest and he escaped from a patrol car while in route to the jail. He did this while out on bond on an armed robbery and burglary charge. Our court system needs to finally take this thug off the street and lock him up for a significant amount of time.”

Deputies charged Roach with failure to stop for a blue light, resisting arrest with assault, possession of marijuana, unlawful carrying of a pistol and carrying a pistol by a person convicted of a violent crime. The office will contact the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to possibly pursue federal prosecution on the gun charge.

Roach remains jailed on a $55,000 bond. The solicitor will move to revoke Roach’s bond on the armed robbery and burglary charges.

This story was originally published July 6, 2016 at 7:51 AM with the headline "Civilian on SC ride-along helps arrest gun-toting felon fighting deputy after crash."