Eberhart led officers on short chase, officials say
The S.C. Highway Patrol has issued warrants for the arrest of a driver who fled police; crashed into a house near USC’s campus, sparking a blaze; and ran from the scene on foot.
Lance Cpl. David Jones, a Highway Patrol spokesman, said James Johntava Eberhart, 28, is wanted for failure to stop for blue lights and a second offense of driving without a license.
Columbia police are handling an investigation of the crash, which caused a fire at 1601 Rice St., across from DiPrato’s Delicatessen. It was not immediately clear Thursday if the department had also issued warrants.
Eberhart’s last known address is on Villas Court in West Columbia, Jones said. Richland County court records show he has faced charges in the past, including attempted murder, armed robbery, domestic violence, trespassing and larceny.
The driver stopped at a checkpoint in Olympia when troopers realized he didn’t have a driver’s license.
The man drove away and led an officer on a short chase until a supervisor called it off at 3:42 p.m.
Three minutes later, police found the car, but no driver. It had crashed into a house, setting a blaze that caused an estimated $72,000 of damage.
No injuries have been reported as a result of the wreck, and neither of the house’s residents was home at the time, Columbia Fire Department spokesman Brick Lewis said. The Red Cross offered assistance, but the two are staying with family in the area.