A Surfside Beach woman who led sheriff's deputies on a two-county chase and called dispatchers, identified herself and said she was not going to stop is in the Clarendon County Detention Center tonight.
Jamie Dawn Brandt, 39, of 705 McLain Court in Surfside Beach, faces charges in Clarendon County for failure to stop for a blue light; two counts of possession of a Schedule IV controlled substance; and possession of marijuana. She also faces a charge in Lake City for malicious injury to personal property.
Reports state that deputies were first alerted to a suspect matching Brandt's description "standing in the roadway (on U.S. 527 near Howard Road in Gable), trying to flag down vehicles and yelling at the vehicles as they passed."
Deputies responded to the scene and found the suspect turning around at the barricades on Rainbow Lake road, and attempted a traffic stop. Brandt allegedly waved at deputies and continued to drive. She eventually turned onto U.S. 301 and continued down the highway at about 55 mph. Several deputies attempted to stop the vehicle, but Brandt refused to stop.
"She then called 911 and identified herself as Jamie Brandt and advised that she was not going to stop," reports indicate. "Brandt advised Clarendon dispatchers that she was scared that law enforcement would kill her and she was not going to stop."
Brandt allegedly led deputies on a chase down U.S. 378 through Turbeville, where Turbeville police had blocked the intersection of U.S. 378 and 301. Brandt allegedly ran the stop light at the intersection and continued through town at about 85 mph, traveling east toward Lake City. The chase allegedly continued on U.S. 378 into Florence County, after which Brandt allegedly took a right onto Main Street in Lake City. She cut through the parking lot of Pizza Roma and turned on a side street near the Lake City Police Department.
She then drove over a curb in an apartment complex in an attempted to lose law enforcement, according to reports.
"Brandt came back on the road leading out of the apartment complex and almost ran over a Lake City Police Department officer while causing damage to property in the area," reports indicate.
Deputies continued to pursue Brandt over railroad tracks and back onto Myrtle Beach Highway toward U.S. 378.
At this point, Lake City police, the Florence County Sheriff's Office and the Clarendon County Sheriff's Office were able to surround Brandt's vehicle and had her slow down to almost a complete stop. A Florence County deputy pulled the suspect from the vehicle, "and a probable cause search of the vehicle was conducted," reports state.
A search revealed about 13 grams of marijuana and a prescription bottle inside a suitcase with two separate types of Xanax.
A bond hearing is pending at the Clarendon County Detention Center as of Tuesday night.
