Following traffic stop yesterday on St. Helena Island, 29-year-old Erick Holmes arrested for trafficking cocaine
Late yesterday morning, Sheriff’s Office investigators accompanied by a local task force officer of the Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) were searching the St. Helena Island area for 29-year-old Erick Holmes, who was wanted on a federal arrest warrant. While investigators were searching, a Sheriff’s Office deputy with a K-9 unit observed Holmes driving a vehicle on Seaside Road.
Having been advised that Erick Holmes was wanted on a federal arrest warrant and that he had a suspended driver's license, the deputy activated his blue lights/siren and attempted a traffic stop. Holmes kept driving and, in an attempt to elude the deputy, turned onto Coffin Point Road. Holmes continued to drive and pulled into the driveway of a Coffin Point Road residence. Holmes then drove around to the rear of the residence, where he stopped the vehicle and was quickly taken into custody by the deputy.
After Erick Holmes was taken into custody, the K-9 unit was deployed to conduct a sniff of the vehicle he had been driving. The K-9 alerted on the vehicle, which indicated that illegal drugs were present inside. Deputies then searched the vehicle and recovered trafficking weights of both powder and crack cocaine, a distribution weight of marijuana and a handgun, which after it was checked through the National Crime Information Center was determined to have been reported stolen.
Following the search of the vehicle he was driving, Erick Holmes was charged with Trafficking Cocaine, Trafficking Crack Cocaine, Possession with Intent to Distribute Marijuana and Driving Under Suspension. Holmes was transported to the Beaufort County Detention Center and incarcerated for the offenses. A hold was put on Holmes by the ATF for the federal arrest warrant and, as of late today, he remained incarcerated at the detention center. Holmes has not yet been charged in connection with the stolen handgun.
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Address/Location
Beaufort County Sheriff's Office
2001 Duke St
Beaufort, SC 29902
Contact
Emergency: 9-1-1
Non-emergencies: 843-255-3200