James Anderson was recently arraigned in Superior Court on charges related to a hit-and-run incident that took place the first of this month.
At shortly before 6:00 p.m., Sept. 1, Aberdeen officers were dispatched to a report of an injury accident at 301 E. River Street. While enroute to the location they were advised by dispatch that a vehicle had struck a pedestrian and left the scene traveling eastbound towards Walmart.
Upon arrival at the scene, police were contacted by a witness who claimed he had been a passenger in the vehicle at the time of the incident. The witness told police that a seemingly very intoxicated Anderson was the vehicle's driver.
The witness further stated that he had been unsuccessful at attempting to persuade Anderson to let him drive the vehicle.
According to the same witness, Anderson, while driving a gravel roadway next to the rail road tracks, noticed the victim standing to the side of the road and accelerated the vehicle at a high rate of speed directly at the victim. The witness stated that Anderson and the victim have a past history of problems.
Anderson, the witness said, struck the victim with his vehicle, causing the victim to impact and shatter the windshield.
The witness, according to his account, exited the vehicle as Anderson slowed down and started to do donuts in the gravel. The witness then went to help the victim and Anderson drove away.
An attempt-to-locate broadcast was put out for the suspect, and the victim was transported to the hospital.
A short time later, Anderson's vehicle was located off Farragut and E. Schley streets in Aberdeen. Anderson was located with his vehicle and arrested without incident. Anderson was given a breathalyzer test which confirmed his intoxication, according to police.