By Leah Justice

leah.justice@tryondailybulletin.com

A chase began on I-26 in Polk County Wednesday afternoon, May 4 and ended in South Carolina after the suspect wrecked once at exit 15, showed a gun, stole a vehicle and wrecked into four different Spartanburg County vehicles.

Sayer Anthony-Spang Tamiso, 27, of Hampton, Maine is currently in Spartanburg County custody under charges of armed robbery, possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime and failure to stop for a blue light, according to the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office.

The chase began along I-26 eastbound near mile marker 70 when Polk County officers pulled over a vehicle and the suspect got out of the car, then back in and took off, according to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.

Capt. Lowell Griffin of the Polk County Sheriff’s Office said a 2005 Acura was following too close at high rates of speed and not maintaining lane control so officers with the county’s PACE (Polk Aggressive Criminal Enforcement) Team stopped the vehicle. Griffin said there was a driver and a passenger and the two were giving conflicting stories as to their destination and where they came from so a K9 unit was called. Once the K9 patrol arrived the individuals became nervous, according to Griffin and Tamiso jumped back in the car and fled the scene. The passenger of the vehicle, Cory West, of Buncombe County, was left at the scene, according to reports.

Griffin said Polk County chased Tamiso into South Carolina calling the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office for assistance, who joined the pursuit.

Tamiso turned onto exit 15 and lost control of his vehicle, according to Griffin. Griffin said as Polk officers challenged him, he came out of the vehicle with a gun and fled on foot to a nearby business. Tamiso then robbed someone of their car, a black Lexus and fled the scene, getting involved in another chase with Spartanburg County until officers used their vehicles to stop the vehicle.

Speeds along 1-26 reached up to 115 mph, officers said.

One Spartanburg County officer was transported to the hospital with injuries after cutting off Tamiso and being rammed.

Polk County is still investigating the events that occurred in North Carolina and had not yet filed charges on Tamiso as of press time. West was released with the sheriff’s office saying it is unknown at this time if West will face any charges.