By Leah Justice

leah.justice@tryondailybulletin.com

CAMPOBELLO- A police chase approaching the N.C. state line Thursday morning, July 28 ended near Campobello and had I-26 westbound shut down.

The Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office chased a vehicle and had it surrounded around mile marker 6. Traffic was backed up in the westbound lanes for about a mile and a half for some time.

The Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office said at approximately 10:40 a.m., deputies responded to room #212 at the Caroline Inn and Suites along Hospitality Drive in Spartanburg in reference to a woman screaming and possibly a shooting.

Deputies arrived to find

, 47 of Simpsonville, S.C. leaving the room. Deputies recovered a semi-automatic pistol from Fitch’s waistband, but Fitch did not comply to verbal commands and ran towards the parking lot, according to a press release sent from the sheriff’s office.

 

Meanwhile, two other deputies became trapped in the room when they entered because the door knob fell off when they made entry, according to the release. The third deputy outside kicked open the door and while inside all three deputies encountered Christy Lee Fitch, 38, of Inman and her five-year-old daughter.

The woman had been stabbed in the leg with deputies recovering another pistol and a BB rifle from the room as well as numerous items of drug paraphernalia, according to the sheriff’s office. Officers reported the woman was exhibiting obvious signs of recent drug use and that observation along with interviewing the child caused officers’ decision to place the child into protective custody and to arrest Fitch.

Traffic officers responding to the scene saw Herbert Daniel Fitch leaving the motel in a white Volkswagon Jetta and attempted to pull him over but Fitch fled and traveled from I-85 Business to I-26 West.

Near mile marker 8, a Landrum Police Department officer successfully deployed stop sticks on the vehicle, and near mile marker 6 another traffic officer forced the vehicle off the road.

Once the vehicle was stopped, officers found Herbert Daniel Fitch holding a knife to his own throat and deputies negotiated with him until he was eventually taken into custody after a Taser deployment, according to the sheriff’s office. Herbert Daniel Fitch was transported to the hospital, where as of Thursday evening he remained for an evaluation of non-medical issues, according to the sheriff’s office.

A warrant was issued on Christy Fitch for unlawful neglect of a child, according to sheriff reports. A magistrate also issued warrants on Herbert Daniel Fitch for domestic violence-high and aggravated, unlawful neglect of a child, unlawful possession of a pistol, driving under suspension and failure to stop for a blue light, according to the sheriff’s office.

Christy Fitch had an active order of protection against Herbert Daniel Fitch that was granted earlier this month, the sheriff’s office reported.