Spartanburg County homeowner finds man with dog, assault rifle in his wife’s vehicle, officials say
GO. WE HAVE A LOOK AT TODAY’S TOP NEWS STORIES. TRAFFIC AND WEATHER. ALL BEFORE YOU HEAD OUT THE DOOR THIS MORNING. WE START WITH OUR ISABELLE MARAK LIVE IN PIEDMONT WITH BREAKING NEWS. ISABELLE. AARON, WE ARE ON WYATT ROAD WHERE THERE HAS BEEN MULTIPLE FIRE OFFICIALS OUT HERE. WE HAVEN’T HAD TOO MUCH OF AN UPDATE HERE YET. WE’RE STILL WAITING. WE GOT HERE A COUPLE OF MINUTES AGO, SPOKE TO A FIRE CHIEF. HE SAID HE’D COME BY AND TALK TO US HERE SHORTLY, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE THEY ARE STILL OUT THERE SURVEYING THE DAMAGE. SO THERE’S NOT MUCH THAT HAS BEEN CONFIRMED JUST YET. OUR STATION HAS ALSO REACHED OUT TO THE CORONER’S OFFICE. WE’RE WAITING TO HEAR BACK ON THAT AS WELL. WE WILL CONTINUE TO KEEP YOU UPDATED. WE’VE SEEN A COUPLE FIRE TRUCKS OUT HERE ALSO SAW STATE FIRE JUST PULL UP. SO COUNTY FIRE TRUCKS, CITY FIRE TRUCKS AS WELL AS STATE. WE WILL CONTINUE TO KEEP YOU UPDATED AS WE LEARN MORE. BUT FOR NOW REPORTING LIVE IN PIEDMONT. I’M ISABELLE MARAK FOR WIFE NEWS FOUR ISABELLE. THANK YOU. NORTH CAROLINA GOVERNOR ROY COOPER IS ASKING STATE LAWMAKERS TO APPROVE MORE MONEY TO GO TOWARD DISASTER RECOVERY EFFORTS. THE GOVERNOR SAYS NEARLY $4 BILLION IS NEEDED TO HELP WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA. AND HE SAYS BASED ON NEW ESTIMATES FROM STATE GOVERNMENT EXPERTS, HALLOWEEN IS THE COSTLIEST AND THE DEADLIEST NATURAL DISASTER IN NORTH CAROLINA’S HISTORY. THE REQUEST COMES AS THE STATE LEGISLATURE IS SET TO RETURN TO SESSION TODAY. LAWMAKERS APPROVED A $273 MILLION DISASTER RELIEF PACKAGE ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO DURING A SPECIAL SESSION. IF FEMA OFFICIALS ARE COMING TO INSPECT YOUR HOME, THERE ARE SOME DOCUMENTS AND ITEMS YOU WILL NEED IN ORDER TO GET YOUR RELIEF MONEY. THOSE INCLUDE THE LAST FOUR DIGITS OF YOUR FEMA APPLICATION NUMBER, A PHOTO ID AS WELL. IF YOU LOST YOURS, LET THE INSPECTOR KNOW. ALSO, PROOF OF HOME OWNERSHIP FROM THE TIME OF THE DISASTER. HOME OR AUTO INSURANCE POLICIES A LIST OF PEOPLE LIVING IN YOUR HOME AND ANY PHOTOS OR VIDEOS OF THE DAMAGE. A HOME INSPECTION SHOULD TAKE ABOUT 45 MINUTES TO COMPLETE. RANDALL BELL WILL APPEAR BEFORE A JUDGE TODAY FOR THE UTV CRASH THAT TOOK THE LIFE OF BOILING SPRINGS HIGH SCHOOL JUNIOR ETHAN HARRELL, PENIX HAS THAT STORY. TANIQUA. GOOD MORNING, AARON. ONLY ON WYFF NEWS FOUR. WE WERE IN THE COURTROOM WHEN RANDALL BELL WAS DENIED BOND BACK IN AUGUST. NOW, TROOPERS SAY THREE PEOPLE WERE ON THE UTV, INCLUDING BELL, WHEN IT VEERED OFF THE ROAD AND OVERTURNED. A SOLICITOR SAYS BELL ADMITTED TO BEING DRUNK WHILE BEHIND THE WHEEL. TROOPERS SAY ETHAN HARRELL WAS A PASSENGER AND DIED TODAY. IF CONVICTED, BELL COULD FACE UP TO 25 YEARS IN PRISON. REPORTING LIVE IN SPARTANBURG, TANIQUA, PENNIX WYFF NEWS FOUR. AARON TANIQUA. THANK YOU. WITH LESS THAN TWO WEEKS TO GO UNTIL ELECTION DAY, THE POLLS SHOW A TIGHT RACE IN THE PRESIDENTIAL. CANDIDATES ARE WORKING TO APPEAL TO ANYONE WHO HASN’T MADE UP THEIR MIND YET. VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS TOOK QUESTIONS IN FRONT OF A LIVE AUDIENCE IN THE BATTLEGROUND STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA. I BELIEVE IN FIXING PROBLEMS. I LOVE FIXING PROBLEMS. AND SO I PLEDGE TO YOU TO BE A PRESIDENT WHO NOT ONLY WORKS FOR ALL AMERICANS, BUT WORKS ON GETTING STUFF DONE. AND THAT MEANS COMPROMISE. MEANWHILE, FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP TOOK CENTER STAGE AT A GEORGIA FOR TRUMP RALLY IN DULUTH. HIGH PROFILE FIGURES LIKE GEORGIA REPRESENTATIVE MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE, POLITICAL COMMENTATOR TUCKER CARLSON, AND COUNTRY SINGER JASON ALDEAN WERE ALL IN ATTENDANCE. BUT TOGETHER, WE’RE GOING TO FIX OUR NATION AND WE’RE GOING TO FIX OUR NATION FAST. WITH YOUR SUPPORT ON NOVEMBER FIFTH, AMERICA WILL BE BIGGER, BETTER, BOLDER, RICHER, SAFER, AND STRONGER THAN EVER BEFORE. FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP WILL CAMPAIGN IN ARIZONA AND NEVADA TODAY. VICE PRESIDENT HARRIS WILL BE IN GEORGIA TONIGHT. VOTERS IN THE CAROLINAS AND GEORGIA ARE CONTINUING TO BREAK EARLY VOTING RECORDS. IN NORTH CAROLINA, MORE THAN 1.7 MILLION BALLOTS HAVE BEEN CAST SINCE LAST THURSDAY. AND, OF COURSE, LONG LINES HAVE BEEN SPOTTED ACROSS WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA FOR EARLY VOTING AS WELL. IN BUNCOMBE COUNTY ALONE, MORE THAN 38,000 PEOPLE HAVE VOTED, SO FAR, AND THAT’S WHY LEADERS HAVE SET UP A SPECIAL TOOL TO HELP VOTERS SEE THE REAL TIME WAIT TIMES AT EACH POLLING LOCATION. YOU CAN FIND THE MAP FOR THAT ON BUNCOMBE COUNTY’S WEBSITE. EARLY VOTING IN NORTH CAROLINA ENDS ON SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 2ND. BE CAUTIOUS BEFORE MAKING BREAKFAST THIS MORNING BECAUSE TREEHOUSE FOODS HAS EXPANDED ITS RECALL ON FROZEN TOASTER WAFFLES, BELGIAN WAFFLES AND PANCAKE PRODUCTS BECAUSE OF A POTENTIAL LISTERIA THREAT. THOSE RECALLED PRODUCTS WERE SOLD NATIONWIDE AND IN CANADA UNDER SEVERAL BRAND NAMES. THE FDA DOES SAY NO RELATED ILLNESSES HAVE BEEN CONFIRMED, BUT LISTERIA INFECTIONS CAN BE FATAL FOR BOTH CHILDREN AND THE ELDERLY AS WELL AS PEOPLE WITH WEAK IMMUNE SYSTEMS. FOR OTHERS, THE SYMPTOMS INCLUDE FEVER AND NAUSEA. WE’RE NOW INTO LATE OCTOBER, NORMALLY THE PEAK OF FALL FOLIAGE IN OUR REGION, BUT AFTER HURRICANE HELENE, SEVERAL PARTS OF WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA LOST THEIR LEAVES WHEN THE STORM CAME THROUGH. THOSE AREAS ARE MOSTLY IN THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS AND ON THE SOUTHERN FACING SLOPES OF THE MOUNTAINS THAT WERE FACING THE WINDS. WHEN HELENE PASSED THROUGH. BUT THERE ARE STILL PLENTY OF LEAVES AND COLOR TO SEE ON THE NORTH FACING SLOPES. SYDNEY. JUST INCREDIBLE IMAGES THERE AND JUST SHOWS THE EXTENT OF HOW HELENE IMPACTED US, EVEN THOUGH WE’RE NOT NECESSARILY BY THE COAST. YES, WE STILL CAN IN FACT, SEE THOSE THOSE IMPACTS HERE ACROSS OUR AREA. SO THE SUNSHINE AND DRY WEATHER HAS BEEN A WELCOME CHANGE FOR US OVER ALMOST THE LAST FOUR WEEKS. SO WE LOVE THE DRY WEATHER. HOWEVER, IT IS COMING WITH A ROLLER COASTER. TEMPERATURES TODAY. ONCE THE SUN IS UP WITHIN THE NEXT 45 MINUTES TO AN HOUR OR SO, WE WILL SEE OUR TEMPERATURES RISE VERY QUICKLY AS THE SUN BEGINS TO HEAT US UP. WE’LL BE TOPPING OUT IN THE UPPER 70S NEAR 80 DEGREES TODAY FOR THE UPSTATE NORTHEAST GEORGIA, WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA, ALSO SITTING ABOVE AVERAGE, WILL BE TOPPING OUT MAINLY IN THE LOWER 70S. A FEW SPOTS COULD GET INTO THE MID 70S, BUT AS WE HEAD THROUGHOUT THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS, WE CONTINUE TO SEE THIS MILD STRETCH OF WEATHER. STICK AROUND FOR A LITTLE BIT LONGER, ALONG WITH A LOT OF SUNSHINE, BUT AS A COLD FRONT WORKS INTO OUR REGION LATER THIS WEEKEND, WE WILL SEE A DROP IN OUR TEMPERATURES. BUT A TRUE TASTE OF FALL AHEAD FOR US. SO COMING UP, WE’LL HAVE A CLOSER LOOK AS TO WHERE OUR TEMPERATURES GO FROM HERE AND HOW IT IMPACTS OUR RAIN CHANCES. LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT TRAFFIC THIS MORNING. AND JUST LIKE CLOCKWORK, HERE’S THAT SLOW DOWN, LIVE LOOK AT I-85 NORTH NEAR PELHAM ROAD IN GREENVILLE COUNTY. THE GOOD NEWS IS, IT’S NOT STOPPED. THE BAD NEWS, OR POTENTIALLY BAD NEWS IS IT’S ABOUT AS SLOW AS IT USUALLY IS AT 651 ON A WEEKDAY. WE’LL KEEP A CLOSE EYE ON THIS ONE OTHER AREA. WE’RE KEEPING A CLOSE EYE ON 26 WEST AT MILE MARKER 20. IF YOU’RE HEADED THAT WAY IN THE SPARTANBURG AREA UP TO WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA, THERE ARE SOME DELAYS THERE. UNKNOWN NUMBER OF LANES CLOSED, BUT OUR MAIN TRAVEL TIMES LOOK GOOD. I-240 TO ASHEVILLE HIGHWAY 12 MINUTES. AIRPORT TO WOODRUFF ROAD SEVEN. FAIRVIEW ROAD TO DOWNTOWN ON THREE 8513 AMAZON PRIME MEMBERS CAN NOW TAKE ADVANTAGE OF A NEW FUEL SAVINGS OFFER. PRIME MEMBERS CAN SAVE $0.10 PER GALLON AT ABOUT 7000 BP AMOCO AND AMPM GAS STATIONS ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY. AMAZON SAYS THAT PRIME MEMBERS CAN EXPECT FUTURE OFFERS ON TRANSPORTATION RELATED COSTS, INCLUDING SAVINGS ON ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING AND LITTLE BIG TOWN AND SUGARLAND ARE BRINGING THEIR TOUR TO BON SECOURS WELLNESS ARENA TONIGHT. THAT SHOW STARTS TONIGHT AT SEVEN. THE TICKETS ARE STILL ON SALE AS WELL. THEY START AT ABOUT. $26. A COMPANY IN MASSACHUSETTS IS ADDING PUMPKIN SPICE TO CAR WASH. INGREDIENTS. THE FOAM IS INFUSED RIGHT INTO THE ULTRA SHINE, WHICH KEEPS YOUR CAR LOOKING SHINY AND NEW AND SMELLING LIKE FALL, TOO. NOW, WHILE THIS IS ALL A LOT OF FUN, THERE IS A HEARTFELT MISSION BEHIND IT ALL. PUMPKIN SPICE CAR WASH PROCEEDS DURING THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER WILL SUPPORT COMMUNITY SERVINGS. IT’S A NONPROFIT THAT PROVIDES MEDICA
Spartanburg County homeowner finds man with dog, assault rifle in his wife’s vehicle, officials say
Updated: 5:30 PM EDT Oct 24, 2024
Amy Goulding, the Assistant Solicitor of the Seventh Circuit Solicitor’s Office, announced a Spartanburg man has been sentenced to prison for attempted armed robbery, burglaries, and numerous other property-related crimes.(Video above: WYFF News 4 Morning Headlines)In the afternoon hours of Sept. 16, 2023, a homeowner in Wellford, South Carolina, heard someone inside his wife’s BMW. The homeowner came outside to see 32-year-old Michael Trevor Barton inside the vehicle with a dog and an assault rifle. Barton then stole the vehicle with the homeowner at gunpoint. The homeowner was later able to identify Barton.The Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office was able to determine that Barton broke into the home a day prior and stole several items, including the spare keys to the BMW.Through additional investigations by the Landrum Police Department and the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office, authorities determined Barton committed a series of property-related crimes in and around Wellford, Duncan, Lyman, and Landrum.In Sept. 2024, after failing to stop for officers’ blue lights, Barton was pursued by Spartanburg County deputies and taken into custody.Goulding said Barton, 32, pleaded guilty on Wednesday in Spartanburg to the following charges:Four counts of burglary in the first degreeAttempted armed robberyPossession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crimeFour counts of grand larcenyTwo counts of petit larcenyTwo counts of receiving stolen goodsMalicious injury to personal propertyBreaking into a motor vehicleFailure to stop the motor vehicle when signaled by law enforcement vehicleUse of vehicle without owner’s consentPossession of a stolen pistolCircuit Court Judge R. Keith Kelly sentenced Barton to 20 years in prison for each count of burglary in the first degree and 20 years in prison for attempted armed robbery. All of the sentences shall be served concurrently.Barton’s prior criminal history included convictions for shoplifting, petit larceny, assault and battery in the third degree, unlawful neglect of a child, and domestic violence in the second degree.Solicitor Barry Barnette prosecuted Barton and said, “This 20-year sentence with no parole will protect the people of Spartanburg County from this serial thief in the future.”
Amy Goulding, the Assistant Solicitor of the Seventh Circuit Solicitor’s Office, announced a Spartanburg man has been sentenced to prison for attempted armed robbery, burglaries, and numerous other property-related crimes.
(Video above: WYFF News 4 Morning Headlines)
In the afternoon hours of Sept. 16, 2023, a homeowner in Wellford, South Carolina, heard someone inside his wife’s BMW. The homeowner came outside to see 32-year-old Michael Trevor Barton inside the vehicle with a dog and an assault rifle. Barton then stole the vehicle with the homeowner at gunpoint. The homeowner was later able to identify Barton.
The Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office was able to determine that Barton broke into the home a day prior and stole several items, including the spare keys to the BMW.
Through additional investigations by the Landrum Police Department and the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office, authorities determined Barton committed a series of property-related crimes in and around Wellford, Duncan, Lyman, and Landrum.
In Sept. 2024, after failing to stop for officers’ blue lights, Barton was pursued by Spartanburg County deputies and taken into custody.
Goulding said Barton, 32, pleaded guilty on Wednesday in Spartanburg to the following charges:
- Four counts of burglary in the first degree
- Attempted armed robbery
- Possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime
- Four counts of grand larceny
- Two counts of petit larceny
- Two counts of receiving stolen goods
- Malicious injury to personal property
- Breaking into a motor vehicle
- Failure to stop the motor vehicle when signaled by law enforcement vehicle
- Use of vehicle without owner’s consent
- Possession of a stolen pistol
Circuit Court Judge R. Keith Kelly sentenced Barton to 20 years in prison for each count of burglary in the first degree and 20 years in prison for attempted armed robbery. All of the sentences shall be served concurrently.
Barton’s prior criminal history included convictions for shoplifting, petit larceny, assault and battery in the third degree, unlawful neglect of a child, and domestic violence in the second degree.
Solicitor Barry Barnette prosecuted Barton and said, “This 20-year sentence with no parole will protect the people of Spartanburg County from this serial thief in the future.”
