New details: Sheriff reopens case involving fire chief after anonymous letter

OCONEE COUNTY, S.C. (FOX Carolina) - The Oconee County sheriff has decided an August 2022 case involving an Upstate fire chief needs a second look after receiving a letter from an unknown source.

FOX Carolina Investigates first broke this story last week when we told you about a lawsuit alleged Townville Fire Chief Billy McAdams chased two teens in his car for 15 minutes before blocking them in and ordering them to the ground at gun point.

“The Sheriff did receive an anonymous letter inquiring about the case and he reviewed the case file. The Sheriff was not aware of the incident prior to receiving the letter. The Sheriff says that we get 6,000 reports filed each year,” Oconee County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Jimmy Watt said in an email to FOX Carolina Investigates. “After reviewing the case file, the Sheriff had some concerns and asked our criminal investigations unit to follow back up with the victims in this case.”

Watt said further Sheriff Mike Crenshaw felt reopening the investigation was necessary “to clarify some of the evidence and information obtained to further explore whether criminal charges should be brought in this matter.”

According to an incident report from the sheriff’s office, a judge told an investigator there was enough probable cause to charge McAdams with pointing and presenting a firearm at a person. However, the report said charges would have to be brought against the teens, too.

Watt said he did not know what charges would have been discussed for the teens.

“... however, when discussing a case and assessing whether probable cause exists to charge one, or both parties in an investigation, it is not uncommon for an officer to relay that information to the interested parties involved, especially in an investigation in which minors are involved and parental permission might be needed in order to proceed with charges,” Watt said in an email.

FOX Carolina Investigates reached out to the attorneys representing the teens’ families. We have not heard back.

Copyright 2023 WHNS. All rights reserved.