Three Held at Gunpoint Until Cops Arrive
DASHAWN ANTONIO BOYD
RUBEN JAMES WOODARD
TEVIN MARKELL JONES
WINNSBORO – Three Winnsboro men who broke into a home on Bowson Lane late last month got more than they bargained for when they came face to face with the gun-wielding homeowner.
Ronnie Gene Gantt, 61, was at his home on 596 Bowson Lane July 22 in a back room of the house when he heard what he thought sounded like something falling to the floor on one of the front rooms, according to the report from the Fairfield County Sheriff’s Office. It was just before 3 p.m. and Mr. Gantt just happened to be spending the afternoon cleaning his handgun.
According to the report, Gantt at first thought the noise he had heard was his son coming home. But when his son did not come back into the back room to greet him, Gantt came out to have a look. Gun in hand. Almost at once, Gantt came upon one of the intruders, 18-year-old Dashawn Antonio Boyd of Landis Road, standing in the bedroom. When Boyd turned and saw Gantt, Boyd walked into the hallway toward him. Gantt then raised his handgun, pointed it at Boyd and told him to stay where he was. Boyd turned and ran back into the bedroom, dove behind the bed and laid on the floor. Gantt stood in the bedroom doorway, blocking Boyd and his two companions – Ruben James Woodard, 24, of Evergreen Road, and Tevin Markell Jones, 20, also of Evergreen Road – inside while he phoned police.
All three subjects were taken into custody and $238 in miscellaneous property was recovered and returned to Gantt. Prior to entering Gantt’s home, the men had also broken into his car, causing $50 in damage. All three were transported to the Fairfield County Detention Center and charged with theft from a motor vehicle, burglary, breaking and entering and vandalism.
“Those guys were really lucky,” Capt. Brad Douglas said.
