07/31/18 Santee, SC – Armed Robbery Suspects Blew Tire – Disabled – Taken Into Custody – In Handcuffs – Steals Patrol Car – Crashes

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A Ridgeville man is accused of robbing a grocery store and trying to flee in a police vehicle.

Deonte Akeem Dicks, 31, of 1008 McDaniel Town Road is being held without bond on 11 charges following the incident.

Warrants accuse Dicks and a co-defendant of forcing their way through a back door of the IGA at 9092 Old Number Six Highway in Santee at 10:11 p.m. Saturday.

The store was closed to customers at that time, but employees remained inside.

The warrants allege that Dicks and his unknown co-defendant, “each armed with pistols, pointed their pistols at the employees and demanded money.”

The pair “prohibited the movements of the employees while in the commission of the armed robbery,” the warrants claim.

After the armed robbery, Dicks allegedly occupied the driver’s seat of a stolen 2006 white Jeep Commander with his co-defendant as a passenger.

“The vehicle was seen leaving the area (and) officers stopped the vehicle as it blew a tire and became disabled,” warrants state.

The passenger fled on foot and remains at large.

As officers attempted to arrest Dicks, he “became combative and failed to comply with commands,” warrants claim.

Officers took Dicks into custody and placed him, with his hands cuffed behind his back, into the backset of a 2013 Ford Taurus police vehicle.

Officers searched the Jeep, finding two pistols on the floorboards, the warrants say.

Meanwhile, Dicks allegedly, “moved his hands from behind his back to the front side of his body and climbed through the security partition into the driver’s seat of the police car.”

Santee police allege Dicks attempted to flee in the stolen vehicle.

“The arresting officer was able to get in the vehicle with the defendant as he was driving away. The officer was able to gain control of the vehicle after the defendant collided with a highway sign,” warrants state.

Warrants allege that Dicks is a convicted felon, his driver’s license is suspended for unpaid traffic tickets and he was two prior convictions for driving under suspension within the past five years.

Dicks is charged with:

• Second-degree burglary

• Kidnapping

• Possession of a stolen vehicle valued more than $10,000

• Escape

• Resisting arrest

• Third-offense driving under suspension

• Criminal conspiracy

• Possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime

• Armed robbery

• Possession of a stolen vehicle valued at $2,000 or less

• Unlawful carrying of a pistol

Municipal Judge Chasity Avinger denied bond.

If convicted, Dicks faces up to 30 years in prison.