Man shot in throat; 27-year-old is charged


Victor Jesus Olivus Vasquez

By RICHARD WALKER, T&D Staff Report | Wednesday, September 05, 2007


One man remains in intensive care while an Orangeburg man is charged with assault and battery following a shooting over the weekend off Rowesville Road.

Manuel Sanchez, 31, remains at the Regional Medical Center's intensive care unit after being shot once in the throat during what investigators say may have been an ongoing dispute.

On Tuesday, Orangeburg County Magistrate Richard Murray denied bond on Victor Jesus Olivus Vasquez of 103 Goodwin St.

The 27-year-old was charged with assault and battery with intent to kill. Police allege he shot the victim on Saturday when he felt threatened by the victim.

It was around 8:45 p.m. when the shooting occurred on Goodwin Road. Orangeburg County sheriff's deputies were called out about 15 minutes later after dispatch received a report of the shooting.

When deputies arrived, they found Sanchez slumped in the driver's seat of a burgundy 1997 Ford parked outside of Vasquez's residence.

Witnesses told deputies the alleged shooter was inside the residence.

According to the incident report, the man inside the home admitted to deputies he shot Sanchez. That individual also gave officers a .22-caliber Taurus semiautomatic handgun.

Through an OCSO interpreter, the man told deputies Sanchez came to his residence and began shouting threats at him. When the man walked outside to Sanchez's vehicle, he believed he saw Sanchez reach for something, the report states.

"The sub felt his safety and the safety of the children in the home were at risk at that time," the report states. "The sub produced the listed pistol and fired (1) one shot, striking the vic(tim) in the throat area."

Due to his condition, Sanchez was unable to communicate with officers. He was transported to the RMC by EMS.

Vasquez was then taken into custody and taken to the Orangeburg-Calhoun Regional Detention Center. Murray set the Goodwin Street man's first appearance in General Sessions Court for Nov. 13.

If convicted of shooting Manuel, Vasquez could be facing 20 years in prison.

Investigators say they have reason to believe Saturday's shooting may stem from an earlier incident at the Springfield Flea Market.

Around 2:30 p.m. that same day, an Orangeburg woman n.jpgied police after her car was intentionally scratched.

Meantime, related or not, Saturday's shooting incident wasn't the first time deputies had been dispatched to the Goodwin Street area.

Around 12:12 a.m. Saturday a concerned citizen called 911 after someone was riding around the neighborhood shooting a weapon from a car.

When deputies arrived on Goodwin Street, they were told the car was a small red vehicle with three Hispanic men inside, according to another OCSO incident report.

Deputies spotted a vehicle matching that description entering Rowesville Road from Banshee Circle, a residential area about a quarter mile away from Goodwin Street.

Stopping that vehicle, officers found inside the car a .22-caliber Husky-brand handgun and a couple of cartridges on the floorboard.

The three males were taken into custody, each charged with unlawful carrying of a pistol and open container. When deputies contacted the U.S. Immigration Service, an agent placed a detainer on the three, who are believed to be in the United States illegally.

T&D Staff Writer Richard Walker can be reached by e-mail at rwalker@timesanddemocrat.com or by telephone at 803-533-5516. Discuss this and other stories on-line at TheTandD.com.

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