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11th Circuit Solicitor's Office, 205 E. Main Street, Lexington, SC (2026)

05/30/2026

Congratulations to the Gray Collegiate Academy Lady War Eagles for being the 2026 South Carolina High School League Class 4A Softball State Champions!!

05/29/2026

Congratulations to the Saluda High School Softball Team on winning the 2A State Championship and the Chapin High School Baseball Team on winning the 5A State Championship!!!

05/12/2026

West Columbia Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Aggravated Assault

David Earl Bender, a 43-year-old West Columbia man, was sentenced last month to twenty (20) years in prison following his conviction at trial on Wednesday, April 15, 2026, in Lexington County, for Assault and Battery of a High and Aggravated Nature. Chief Administrative Judge Debra R. McCaslin presided over the jury trial and imposed the sentence. Under South Carolina law, Assault and Battery of a High and Aggravated Nature is classified a violent, serious, and no-parole offense. The maximum sentence for this charge is twenty years in prison.

Assistant Solicitors Bruce H. Norton II and Melissa Moon oversaw the prosecution of this case, and the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department conducted the investigation.

On September 24, 2024, Lexington County Detention Center declared a medical emergency after the victim was found injured inside his cell. Investigators with the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department responded to the assault that took place in the jail. Investigators were able to determine that Bender and the victim were cell mates, and the incident occurred while Bender and the victim had been placed into the cell for the night. When investigators spoke to Bender, he advised them that the victim had fallen during a verbal argument over a detention center issued tablet.

At trial, the jury heard evidence of the assault as most of it was audio recorded by the tablet device, as Bender had been using the phone application at the time of the assault. The tablet devices record all captured audio when an inmate is using the phone application.

The victim was transported to an area hospital in critical condition. During the trial, the jury heard testimony that the victim suffered extensive physical injuries including major head trauma, facial fractures, multiple broken ribs, and a collapsed lung. The victim had to be placed on a ventilator and spent over six months in the hospital before being released.

Bender has prior convictions for Aggravated Assault, Domestic Violence, Failure to Stop for Blue Lights, and Resisting Arrest. Bender has been transported to the South Carolina Department of Corrections to serve his sentence.

04/24/2026

April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month

Solicitor Rick Hubbard and the entire solicitor’s office proudly stand against child abuse alongside the Dickerson Children's Advocacy Center and our many partner agencies. On Wear Blue Day, we united to highlight the power of prevention and show our unwavering support for the children in our community.

We are incredibly grateful for the dedicated prosecutors and staff in our office who work tirelessly on these difficult cases to ensure justice is served.

We will always stand as one as we continue to advocate for the safety, dignity, and well-being of every child in the Eleventh Judicial Circuit.

04/10/2026

Shooting at a West Columbia Bojangles sends a Lexington County Man to Prison for 16 Years

Donte Simpson, an 18-year-old from West Columbia, pled guilty to Attempted Murder and Assault and Battery of a High and Aggravated Nature this week in Lexington County. Circuit Court Judge Debra R. McCaslin sentenced Simpson to sixteen (16) years concurrent in the South Carolina Department of Corrections. Under South Carolina law, Attempted Murder is classified as a most serious, violent, and no-parole offense. Assault and Battery of a High and Aggravated Nature is classified as a serious, violent, no-parole offense.

The case was prosecuted by Deputy Solicitor Rhonda Patterson on behalf of the Solicitor’s Office, and the West Columbia Police Department handled the investigation.

On December 28, 2024, while working at Bojangles located at 1200 Augusta Road in West Columbia, Simpson shot at two customers at the drive-thru window. Based on witness statements and surveillance video, a coworker of Simpson engaged in a verbal exchange with the driver of the vehicle at the drive-thru window. This coworker walks toward the rear of the employee area of the restaurant and says something to Simpson. Simpson then walks to the drive-thru window and looks at the two customers in the vehicle at the drive-thru window. Simpson then walked away.

Simpson then returned to the drive-thru area, pushed the coworker out of the way, and shot multiple times at the customers through the window. Simpson then jumped out of the window and continued shooting at the victims as they sped away from the Bojangles. West Columbia Police Department responded to the scene and recovered seventeen (17) shell casings as well as a magazine for the firearm used in the shooting. Simpson’s uniform and his identification were also located in the parking lot area.

Both victims sustained multiple gunshot wounds and were treated at a local hospital. There was no evidence that the victims had any weapons and there was some indication during the investigation of prior issues between the driver and Simpson. Simpson fled the scene and was apprehended on January 8, 2025, at a local hotel.

Simpson will be transported to the South Carolina Department of Corrections to begin service of his sentence.

04/09/2026

April is Distracted Driving Prevention Month!

Put the Phone Away or Pay! Don't Drive Distracted. Eyes Forward.

The NHTSA and the South Carolina Department of Public Safety call on drivers to take a proactive role in road safety. According to NHTSA, 16,384 people died and about 1.7 million people were injured in distraction-affected crashes from 2019 to 2023. In 2023 alone, there were 3,275 people killed in traffic crashes involving at least one distracted driver, accounting for 8% of all traffic fatalities that year. An estimated additional 324,819 people were injured in traffic crashes involving distracted drivers in 2023.

Put the Phone Away or Pay! Don't Drive Distracted. Eyes Forward.

04/08/2026

Columbia Man Sentenced to 30 years for Shooting Two Lexington County Deputies

Albertus David Lewis, a 33-year-old Columbia man, pled guilty on March 30, 2026, in Lexington County to two counts of Attempted Murder for shooting two deputies with the Lexington County Sheriff's Department August 9, 2020. Attempted Murder carries a maximum sentence of thirty (30) years in prison. Circuit Court Judge Debra R. McCaslin accepted the negotiated thirty-year sentence for the shooting. Under South Carolina law, attempted murder is classified as a violent, most serious, no-parole offense.

Solicitor Rick Hubbard commented: “Like all of us, our law enforcement partners hope to return home safely each day. We owe it to them to rigorously prosecute any individual who threatens their physical safety.”

Sheriff Jay Koon, during the sentencing hearing, recounted receiving the phone call about his officers that afternoon. Following the hearing, Sheriff Koon commented: “This outcome is a clear example of justice served for this act of violence against our deputies. We are thankful for the collaboration among agencies that ensured the man responsible is held accountable for his actions.”

Senior Assistant Solicitor Sutania A. Fuller handled the prosecution of this case. The investigation was conducted by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED).

On August 9, 2020, at approximately 4:05 p.m., law enforcement responded to a domestic violence complaint by Lewis’ girlfriend. She advised dispatch that Lewis had a gun. She reported that he was threatening to kill her and would not let her leave with their daughter. Once deputies with the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department arrived, Lewis barricaded himself in the apartment and attempted to start a fire. Deputies established a perimeter and attempted to call Lewis out of the apartment. Lewis was observed in the home with his 4-year-old daughter in his left arm and an article of clothing burning in his right hand. Loud verbal commands were given to Lewis to show his hands and come out. Lewis then threw the flaming article of clothing on the rear concrete slab and squirted liquid on it. He continued setting articles of clothing on fire and throwing them out the back door.

Lewis eventually exited the front door of the residence using his daughter as a human shield. Deputies attempted to detain him. Lewis resisted arrest and shot both officers before he was ultimately shot. After Lewis was shot, he continued to resist arrest and bit two of the officers during the attempt to detain him. Ultimately, one officer was shot in the chest and leg. His bullet proof chest stopped the bullet. Another officer was shot in the arm.

Lewis has a prior record of burglaries, property crimes, and drug possessions. At the time of this shooting, Lewis was out on bond for a shooting death out of Richland County. He pled to voluntary manslaughter from that incident, which will run concurrently with the 30-year Lexington County sentence he received. Lewis has been transported to the South Carolina Department of Corrections to serve his prison sentence.

04/07/2026

Orangeburg Man Sentenced to 25 years for Olive Garden Parking Lot Shooting on Harbison Blvd

Brandon Rashad Benjamin, a 34-year-old man from Orangeburg, has been sentenced to twenty-five (25) years in prison following his conviction in Lexington County on Friday, April 3, 2026, for Attempted Murder and Possession of a Weapon during a Violent Crime. Circuit Court Judge Shawn Graham presided over the week-long trial and imposed the sentence. Benjamin was sentenced to a five (5) year concurrent sentence on the weapon charge. Under South Carolina law, attempted murder is classified as a violent, most serious, and no-parole offense.

Assistant Solicitor Kelly Oppenheimer, Assistant Solicitor Caroline Strom, and Deputy Solicitor Angela G. Martin handled the prosecution of this case on behalf of the Solicitor’s Office. Columbia Police Department, SC and Richland County Sheriff's Department conducted the investigation.

On December 23, 2022, the victim was leaving the Olive Garden on Harbison Boulevard when Benjamin showed up threatening the victim with a gun and stated: “Are you feeling close to God?” Benjamin and the victim had prior issues over a woman. After appearing to have left the area, Benjamin returned to the crowded parking lot, exited his vehicle, and fired multiple times at the victim, striking him once.

The victim was shot once in the arm, causing severe bleeding. An off-duty Lexington County firefighter and an off-duty Newberry County Sherrif’s Office investigator rendered aid to the victim until Lexington County EMS arrived. The victim was transported to Prisma Health Richland where he underwent two surgeries.

The following day, Benjamin was pulled over for an expired tag in Richland County. Although initially cooperative with law enforcement, Benjamin eventually led officers from multiple agencies on a 19-mile pursuit through Richland and Lexington Counties. Benjamin’s vehicle finally came to a stop in the city of Cayce. Officers found a 9mm PSA dagger in the passenger area of Benjamin’s vehicle. Forensic testing confirmed it was the weapon used at the Olive Garden.

Benjamin will be transported to the South Carolina Department of Corrections to serve his prison sentence.

04/03/2026

Man Convicted of West Columbia Attempted Murder on Law Enforcement Officers Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison

Jonathan Russell Saylor, age 36, was convicted on Friday, March 27, 2026, by a Lexington County jury for a shooting that took place at a West Columbia hotel in 2023. The jury convicted Saylor of two counts of Attempted Murder, Shooting into a Building while occupied, Possession of a Machine Gun, and Possession of Methamphetamine. Circuit Court Judge Shawn Graham presided over the two-week long trial that began on Monday, March 16, 2026, and sentenced Saylor to twenty-five (25) years in prison on the Attempted Murder charges. All of the sentences will run concurrently. Under South Carolina law, Attempted Murder is classified as a violent, most serious, and “no parole” offense.

Deputy Solicitor Rhonda Patterson and Assistant Solicitor Russell Parker handled the trial for the State. The investigation was conducted by the West Columbia Police Department with assistance from the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), the Lexington County Sheriff's Department, and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

On January 17, 2023, around 12:35 p.m., West Columbia Police Department responded to a disturbance at the Hilton Inn and Gardens located on McSwain Drive in the West Columbia area of Lexington County. When officers made contact with Saylor, he refused to leave the hotel room and began making deadly threats to the officers. Saylor racked his gun and began shooting into the hotel towards the hallway where the officers were standing and towards an occupied hotel room.

The testimony at trial revealed Saylor told the first responding officers that he did not have to leave the room although it was past check out. The hotel manager requested Saylor and his girlfriend leave the property due to the domestic disturbance that had taken place. Once the officers attempted to get inside the room with the permission of the hotel manager, Saylor began making threats of deadly harm and racked his AR style machine gun.

A crisis negotiator from the West Columbia Police Department attempted to de-escalate the situation. However, this attempt proved unsuccessful as Saylor continued to make threats to shoot the officers and began firing multiple rounds inside the hotel.

SLED agents responded to the scene with blue lights and sirens activated. As one of the SLED agents pulled into the parking lot of the hotel with his blue lights activated, Saylor responded by firing three rounds into the SLED agent’s truck. The SLED agent fired back, striking Saylor once in the upper left hip.

For several hours, SLED crisis negotiators attempted to persuade Saylor to surrender peacefully. However, he remained barricaded inside the hotel room until 7:10 p.m. when a K-9 was released to capture him. Once Saylor’s hotel room was searched, officers recovered the weapon and twenty-five (25) spent shell casings consistent with being fired from the recovered gun. Methamphetamine was also located in the room. Saylor’s firearm was classified as a machine gun due to its capability to shoot multiple rounds with one trigger pull.

During sentencing, two of the officers targeted by Saylor addressed the Court expressing how this was a lifechanging event for them personally and as law enforcement officers.

Saylor has been transported to the South Carolina Department of Corrections to serve his prison sentence.

04/02/2026

Thank you Swansea High School for having us at your career fair this morning. Senior Assistant Solicitor Sutania A. Fuller, Assistant Solicitor Melissa Moon, Paralegal Jada Booth, and Investigator Stan Smith represented our office. They enjoyed speaking with students about different career paths in our office.

11th Circuit Solicitor's Office

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