Gunfire Reported During Repossession – Suspect Arrested

Burton, SC – January 10, 2023 – It took police a month to get the truck camera video. It took them another three weeks to make an arrest. Better late than never, but police finally made an arrest on a borrower who allegedly drew a gun on an agent and fired a warning shot.

It was about 7pm, way back on November 23^rd when a repossession agent went to an address in Burton, South Carolina to repossess a truck from 35-year-old Michael Washington. As the agent was preparing the vehicle for tow, Mr. Washington allegedly emerged from the residence and the fireworks began.

It started with an argument. But according to Major Angela Viens of the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office, it went south real quick. According to their report, Washington then pulled a pistol from his waistband.

The unnamed repossession agent claimed that Washington then fired a shot into the ground. Police report that Washington had pointed the weapon at the agent and made threats before speeding away in the truck with a woman who was in the house at the start of the incident.

The recovery agent called 911 and Washington and the woman were later stopped by police on Sea Island Parkway, according to Major Viens.

It wasn’t until December 20th that police reportedly received a petition to access the surveillance video from the unnamed repossession agency. Examining the video, the found probable cause and had a warrant for his arrest issued the next day on the 21^st.

Fast forward to Tuesday January 10^th, and police finally managed to locate Washington on Parris Island Gateway in Port Royal. Washington was charged with undisclosed weapons charges from the incident and according to Police, was still in custody at the Beaufort County Detention Center as of Tuesday.

There were no reported injuries.

It is odd that the agency would not have surrendered the video to police at the time of the incident. There seem to be some missing information to this story.

Source: The Island Packet