New audio released after Upstate fire chief accused of pulling gun on teens

TOWNVILLE, S.C. (FOX Carolina) - The Anderson County Sheriff’s Office released new audio recordings to FOX Carolina that shed light on what happened on a day last summer when an Upstate fire chief is accused of making two teenagers get on the ground at gunpoint.

On Aug. 29, 2022, two 17-year-old boys who were lost in Anderson County said they decided to turn around in someone’s driveway. It turned out to be the home of Townville Fire Chief Billy McAdams.

A lawsuit filed by the teens’ parents says McAdams followed them in a chase that crossed county lines, held them at gunpoint and made them lie in the road. In response to the lawsuit against him, McAdams admits in a court filing that he pursued the teens but denies the allegations of assault and false imprisonment. Adams said he has been robbed multiple times and believed the teens were there to steal from him.

MGC Law, the firm representing McAdams, released the following statement on Thursday:

This week the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office released new audio recordings of the incident in response to FOX Carolina’s Freedom of Information Act request. In the recording, McAdams can be heard yelling at the teens to get out of their truck and get on the ground.

ANDERSON CO. DISPATCH: County Fire.
FIRE CHIEF: Hi. Hang on. I got him blocked. There’s no way this -------- can get around this mess.
DISPATCH: Where you got him blocked at?
FIRE CHIEF: Sitton Mill Road.
DISPATCH: What’s the closest cross?
FIRE CHIEF: Get outta the ------- truck. Get out of the truck right now.
DISPATCH: Hey, where’s, where’s the closest cross to Sitton Mill?
FIRE CHIEF: Hang on, hang on, hang on, get out. Who are you? Who are you? You gonna, Hey. On the ground! On the ground!
DISPATCH: Do you have him at gunpoint, sir?
FIRE CHIEF: Yes you were. On the ground. You, out. You on the, who are you?
DISPATCH: Hey Chief. Chief. I’ve got their- Hey, chief. Chief.
FIRE CHIEF: Why didn’t you stop when we were asking you? We didn’t have no guns til right now. Nobody hopped up with a gun and ran to nothing. I’ve had ---- stole from me. I ain’t putting up this ---- no more. Get up, get on the truck. Now, where are you from? Greenville.
DISPATCH: Hey Chief.
FIRE CHIEF: Hang tight. Hang tight. I’ll be back with you. You hear me?
DISPATCH: Do you have a gun on him?
FIRE CHIEF: Oh, I did, but I’m... It’s off of him now.

In a separate recording, a dispatcher tries to ask McAdams for information about what happened but he said he will share it with the investigator assigned to the incident.

ANDERSON CO. DISPATCH: Okay, what was going on exactly? How did you hear about the--
FIRE CHIEF: Why you need to know all this?
DISPATCH: It’s just for our end. If it happened in Anderson County we’re going to need it for the report.
FIRE CHIEF: Well, I’ll give it, I’ll give it to the investigator when he calls me. He can call. I’ll call him in a little bit, find out who the investigator is. Right now I’m working with Oconee County Sheriff’s Office.
DISPATCH: Okay, but you’re you, you said you’re okay, right?
FIRE CHIEF: You don’t need that for no fire report. Yeah, I’m fine. You don’t need that for no fire report.
DISPATCH: No, it’s gonna be for the deputy’s report.
FIRE CHIEF: Yeah. And then he can call me here in a little bit on my cell phone. I don’t need to tell you.
DISPATCH: Okay. Alright.
FIRE CHIEF: Yeah.

The Oconee County Sheriff’s Office says they have reopened the criminal investigation into the incident.

Earlier this week, the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office release audio from the teenager’s call with Oconee County dispatch.

The Oconee County Sheriff’s Office released audio recordings of the incident in response to FOX Carolina’s FOIA request.

Stay with FOX Carolina for updates on this developing story.

READ MORE: Upstate teens say fire chief held them at gunpoint after turning around in driveway

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