OC Sheriff’s Office investigating Wednesday Night Burglary
The Oconee County Sheriff’s Office is seeking the public’s in finding two individuals wanted on multiple charges in regards to a burglary at a home near Salem. According to investigators, a deputy responded to a report of a burglary in progress with shots fired at 201 Shallow Ford Road in Salem just before 11pm on Wednesday evening, July 3rd. The deputy who responded spoke with a resident of that address who told deputies that he had pulled into his driveway and noticed that someone looked like they have drove through his yard. The resident followed the tracks to the back of the house, where he spotted a vehicle in the back of the driveway with a subject standing near the passenger side and another individual carrying items out of his house. He yelled at the subject who was carrying items out of the house. The subject ran to the passenger side of the vehicle, placed the item he had on the ground, yelled twice that he was with the county, and got into the vehicle, where he preceded down the driveway after turning on a strobe light. The resident told deputies that he backed his vehicle down the driveway in an attempt to block the subjects in, upon which, according to investigators, the subjects swerved in an attempt to hit the resident. The resident then fired one round from a handgun into the vehicle. The resident told deputies that he got back into his vehicle, backed out and was going down the road, upon which all he could see was the taillights of the subjects’ vehicle going down the road. The resident then told deputies that he was missing several items, including two guitars, three firearms, jewelry, a safe, and a TV. Later, the vehicle the subjects were in was located by Pickens County Sheriff’s Office deputies on Highway 11 near Bear Track Trail. The vehicle, a brown Toyota 4 Runner, was parked off the road. About five feet away, officers found the property that was believed to have been taken from the house. Pickens County deputies then ran the tag, which came back to 24-year-old Joshua Estes of Hendersonville, North Carolina. According to the incident report, officers with the Hendersonville Police Department were asked to go check the residence, where they were advised that Estes was in the Pardee Hospital in Hendersonville, North Carolina being treated for a gunshot wound that happened in South Carolina. The other subject in the 4 Runner was identified at 30-year-old James Mitchel Estes of Hendersonville, North Carolina. Joshua Estes was released from the hospital. Deputies took the property back to the victim’s house in Salem, where he was able to identify all the property as his. The Oconee County Sheriff’s Office has issued three arrest warrants for Joshua Estes. Those charges are assault and battery in the first degree, burglary in the first degree, and grand larceny. James Mitchel Estes II is facing charges of grand larceny and burglary in the first degree. Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Joshua Estes or James Mitchel Estes II is asked to call CrimeStoppers at 864-638-STOP, 1-888-CRIME-SC, or text in your tip to 274637. You do not have to give your name and if your tip leads to an arrest, you could be eligible for a cash reward of up to $2,000.