Investigation tightens in Hampton County train robbery. One suspect identified, sought.

The Hampton County Sheriff's Office says it has its sights on one suspect identified in a recent train robbery in Hampton County and is actively on the prowl for the alleged gunman and his alleged accomplices, as all of the robbery suspects still remain at large.

H.C. Sheriff Anthony "Bubba" Russell told The Hampton County Guardian Friday that they have identified one of the suspects, described by a witness as the "armed gunman" who stopped the train during the March 31 robbery in southern Hampton County. A warrant has been signed for this suspect and police are actively searching for the man.

Russell said that, if arrested, the subject will be charged with trespassing on railroad property, with other charges possible as it is still unclear of the exact nature of this individual's participation in the incident.

The HCSO will notify the public if or when the man is arrested, he added.

How does a train holdup happen in modern times?

Around 12:44 p.m. March 31, the identified suspect was allegedly spotted with a gun standing on the railroad tracks near the intersection of Steep Bottom Road and U.S. Highway 321 in Estill.

The call to Hampton County 911 was made by a CSX train conductor. According to the conductor, a suspect described as an "armed gunman" was seen standing on the tracks near the train. It appears to the caller that this was an attempt to get the train to stop and possibly gain access to the train's cargo.

Investigators later determined that the train was coming to a scheduled stop anyway, just before reaching the Canfor Sawmill (formerly Elliot's Sawmill) and just past the Secession Road crossing near Scotia.

The HCSO was notified by 911 Dispatch, and traffic on U.S. 321, a major trucking route, was stopped between the town of Estill and the town of Scotia.

At 1:46 p.m. the HCSO posted on its Facebook page that "there is a gunman on the loose in the area near and around Canfor Southern Pine in Estill. Hwy 321 near this area and Steep Bottom Road is blocked off. Please avoid this area!"

Sheriff Russell and several of his deputies had just cleared another crime scene nearby, where they spent three hours investigating a shooting incident at a nearby railroad crossing, and were only a few miles away when the call came in.

Russell arrived within minutes. The armed suspect had fled the scene, and as the sheriff was interviewing the train conductor he noticed some activety a good distance away down the track. Using binoculars, Russell observed three suspects with tools trying to crack into the side of the train.

"Friday was a very big day in Hampton County," Russell said. "I saw three men cut a whole in the side of a train in broad daylight with the train stopped."

Russell and his deputies sprinted down the tracks as they called in backup and air support. The suspects, Russell said, who were carrying what appeared to be cutting tools and an estimated 50 pounds of gear each, led officers on a foot chase through the woods near the track.

The HCSO called in units from Yemassee, Estill, Gifford, Hampton, Varnville, as well as Jasper and Allendale counties. A helicopter from the S.C. Law Enforcement Division arrived within 35 minutes.

Law enforcement established a security perimeter and called K-9 dogs to track the suspects. SLED also sent its Crime Scene Unit.

Despite the police manpower and the fact that suspects were loaded down with gear, officers were unable to locate the suspects. Russell believes they had help in the area to either stash them or help them get away from the area altogether.

"Criminals know other criminals," he added.

The manhunt was called off around 7:47 p.m. and the train cars were moved to a location off of Highway 321 so the SLED Crime Scene Unit could process the scene for evidence, and to clear the area and allow traffic flow to continue in the area safely.

What loot were the train robbers after? Catalytic converters.

The CSX train was reportedly hauling automobiles. At least three train cars were accessed by the suspects, but only the automobiles in one train car were damaged.

The HCSO said that the suspects accessed one train car by cutting an approximately two foot by four foot hole in the side of the train car. One train car had its lock broken off but no catalytic converters were cut or removed from the vehicles inside that car.

One catalytic converter was removed from the train but it was found on the ground next to the tracks and collected by SLED for further processing.  A second vehicle had its catalytic converter cut but it was not removed from the train.

All of the cut convertors have been accounted for, said Russell. An estimated of the damages to the train and the automobiles has not yet been determined.

Investigation still underway, CSX issues statement

The HCSO says the investigation is still underway. Evidence collected from this incident has been sent to the SLED state lab for analysis, and local police are still searching for the suspects.

CSX Transportation has also issued a statement:

"CSX is committed to protecting the safety of its property and that of its customers. We take criminal activity very seriously. CSX appreciates the valuable partnerships we have with local law enforcement across our network, who are crucial when it comes to investigating incidents and prosecuting individuals responsible for theft. We are unable to provide details as this is an active investigation. CSX is supporting Hampton County police as they continue the investigation into the incident. Please contact them with any further questions."

The HCSO wishes to thank all of the assisting agencies: SLED, the Hampton Police Department, Varnville Police Department, Estill Police Department, Gifford Police Department, Yemassee Police Department, Jasper County Sheriff’s Office, Allendale County Sheriff’s Office, S.C. Department of Natural Resources, 14^th Judicial Circuit Investigation Team, CSX Police and the FBI field Office.

Police believe this is an isolated incident. If anyone has any information, please call the HCSO anonymous tip line at 1-866-942-1120.

Earlier shooting incident near railroad believed unrelated

Earlier that day, deputies responded to a call at the intersection of U.S. 321 and Secession Road outside Estill regarding multiple shots being fired at a victim in a vehicle. A witness to the incident also had to take cover from shots fired.

After staying on scene for three hours, and then a follow-up investigation, the HSCO says it arrested Dontavious Roshard Hutchinson, 32, of Sprayfield Road, Estill, around 5:35 p.m. on April 4. Hutchinson was charged with assault, attempted murder, and illegal possession of a firearm.

The HCSO says that this shooting in incident, which occurred a few hours before the train incident, is not believed to be related to the robbery attempt.

This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Investigation tightens in Hampton County train robbery