EDGEMOOR, SOUTH CAROLINA, Aug. 28 (Nationwide Times) — Three 19-year-olds were arrested in Chester County, South Carolina, after investigators accused them of cutting down a Flock Safety camera pole and damaging the equipment, causing a battery pack to explode and catch fire near homes.
Blaze Fuller, Samuel Carlisle and James Ryerson face allegations of criminal conspiracy and a property-damage offense, according to Chester County jail records. Reports describe the second charge differently: as malicious injury to personal property in the jail records reviewed by Fox News Digital and as destruction of property in reporting that cited the Chester County Sheriff’s Office. The court handling the case, a case number and a judge were not identified in the available records.
All three men were booked Aug. 18 and released Aug. 19, according to the jail records. Fuller posted a $5,000 bond. The records and reports do not indicate that any of the men have been found guilty. They remain accused unless and until the allegations are proven in court.
What investigators allege
The alleged incident happened during the early morning hours of Aug. 15 along Harmony Church Road in the Edgemoor area of Chester County, the sheriff’s office said.
Investigators allege that the men cut or sawed down a pole holding camera equipment and then struck a battery pack with a hammer. The battery pack allegedly exploded and caught fire. The sheriff’s office estimated the damage to the equipment at more than $5,000.
The available reports differ over whether one camera or two cameras were involved. The underlying affidavit, arrest warrants and charging documents were not provided, so the number of cameras cannot be independently resolved from the available material.
What is known about the fire
The reported fire was near homes, but the available information does not establish that any home was damaged or that residents were evacuated. It also does not provide a fire department report or identify the precise cause of the fire beyond the allegation that the battery pack exploded after being struck.
The sheriff’s office account says remnants of the equipment were left at the site. No additional local impact was documented in the available records.
What happens next
An arrest and a criminal charge are allegations, not findings of guilt. The available information does not identify a prosecutor’s statement, defense attorneys, a hearing date, a plea or the eventual outcome of the case.
The charges will have to be addressed through the South Carolina court process. Court filings or later hearings could clarify the exact property-damage charge, the number of cameras involved and the evidence supporting the allegations.
