DORCHESTER COUNTY, S.C. – What began as a routine traffic stop turned into a dramatic scene on Thursday night after a man tried to outrun deputies and ended up in a pond.
Deputies with the Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office were patrolling Mallard Road in the Jedburg area when they noticed a black GMC Terrain with a defective license plate light.
When officers tried to pull the vehicle over, the driver quickly turned onto Lagonna Drive and sped off at a high speed, according to the sheriff’s office.
Chase Ends in Retention Pond
The driver stopped briefly in the wrong lane but then took off again, leading deputies on a short pursuit. The chase came to an unexpected end when the vehicle crashed into a retention pond.
Deputies ordered the suspect to surrender, but instead of giving up, the man began swimming away toward a nearby wooded area, trying to escape.
K9 Yoda Assists in Arrest
To help catch the fleeing suspect, deputies deployed K9 officer Yoda. Despite his attempt to swim back into the pond to avoid arrest, the suspect was eventually caught and taken into custody.
The suspect has been identified as Craig Michael Finkbeiner, 39, of Summerville. He was charged with failure to stop for blue lights and driving under suspension.
Before being taken to jail, he was transported to a nearby hospital for evaluation, then booked into the L.C. Knight Detention Center.
This bizarre chase ended with no injuries, but it’s a reminder that routine traffic stops can quickly escalate. Thanks to the quick response of deputies—and K9 Yoda—the situation was safely brought under control.
