Homes for Sale in Cane Bay neighborhood in Summerville, SC

Late Sunday afternoon, our media outlet received reports regarding a pair of alleged sexual assaults – or attempted sexual assaults – on a neighborhood trail in Sanctuary Cove, part of the sprawling Cane Bay community in Berkeley County, South Carolina.

Both victims were underage females. One of the victims was nearly raped, according to our sources.

After the second assault took place, one resident reached out to us expressing concern that local authorities were “telling exactly NO one that there is a potential serial offender assaulting young girls in Cane Bay.”

“They have no problem sending out headlines for every car that has been rummaged through or elderly person that went for a long walk and may be missing … but they don’t find it a good idea to warn people their daughters could be in harms way while on the trails?” the resident asked.

We reached out to our law enforcement sources first thing Monday morning. As our inquiries were making their way up the flagpole, the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) issued a news release at approximately 4:32 p.m. EST on Monday announcing it was investigating the two assaults – and searching for a specific suspect.

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“On Monday, November 27 just after 8:00 p.m. (EST), Berkeley County dispatch received a call in reference to an assault,” the release noted. “Deputies arrived at the victim’s house to collect information and learned the victim was assaulted. The victim is a 14-year-old female. The victim described to investigators she was attacked from behind. Due to the way the victim was assaulted, she was unable to provide a description to investigators, initially. The investigation determined the victim was assaulted on the trails near Shadybrook Drive and Cane Bay Boulevard.”

The second incident was reported just five days later.

“On Saturday, December 2 just before 7:00 p.m., Berkeley County dispatch received a call in reference to an assault,” the release noted. “Deputies learned the victim was assaulted and dropped her phone during the incident. The victim is a 15-year-old female. The victim was able to get away from the assailant. Deputies located the victim’s phone on the trail behind Bella Vista Court. The victim was able to provide deputies with a description of the man who attacked her.”

According to the sheriff’s office, the suspect being sought in connection with the assault(s) is a “younger white male with facial hair” who has a skinny build and is approximately 5-foot-7 to 5-foot-8 inches tall. BCSO is searching for this suspect with assistance from the S.C. State Law Enforcement Division (SLED).

“We are using every resource possible to identify a suspect and make an arrest,” sheriff Duane Lewis said. “Detectives are working around the clock to complete this investigation. We have also requested assistance from SLED. I am urging all parents and guardians to please not allow your children to walk alone on the trails at night. Please make sure you are aware of your surroundings.”

Lewis said his agency has increased patrols in the area as it continues to investigate the assaults and has asked Cane Bay neighbors to report any suspicious activity to Berkeley County dispatch at 843-719-4169.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR …

Will Folks is the founding editor of the news outlet you are currently reading. Prior to founding FITSNews, he served as press secretary to the governor of South Carolina. He lives in the Midlands region of the state with his wife and seven children.

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BERKELEY COUNTY, S.C. (WCBD) – Several parents with students at Cane Bay High School are upset after a limited number of tickets were sold for next Saturday’s homecoming dance, which means their children would not be able to attend.

Parents who reached out to News 2 this week said the homecoming dance will be held in the commons area of Cane Bay High School, which can accommodate 700 students. But they said the problem is the school has more than 2,000 students.

Brandi Norwood’s daughter is a junior at the high school. And because she’s on the cheer team, Norwood said she’s expected to participate in all of the homecoming events next week.

“It feels defeating to them. They’re encouraged by staff and admin to come together, to be involved in school spirit—that’s how you build community, but then for them to be told, ‘There’s not enough room. You can’t go.’”

Except for the main event – next Saturday’s homecoming dance – because she did not purchase a ticket in time.

“I was given a link to buy tickets, and I wasn’t in a hurry. I got off of work the next day and attempted to buy tickets and it was sold out,” said Norwood.

Norwood said the dance is typically held in the school’s commons area and the 700-ticket cap is nothing new. But she said she’s never had an issue with purchasing tickets for her two older daughters in the past.

“We were told that it was first-come, first-serve and that the tickets were sold within a day, and the link had been posted the day before in the middle of the day,” Norwood explained.

She said there was not adequate communication from the school prior to that link being sent out; however, another parent says there was.

“It was put out that there were a limited amount of tickets, get your tickets early. That was put out,” said Kristin Tanner, whose child also attends Cane Bay High School.

Norwood claims one reason tickets may have gone quickly is because they were distributed differently than in previous years.

“Sophomores and freshmen were allowed to buy tickets, which in the past as far as I understand, seniors and juniors were given preference and then so on and so forth,” she said.

Norwood said she, along with many other parents, is simply disappointed.

“I’ve heard from a lot of other parents who have seniors who have bought dresses and have been preparing and can’t go to the dance,” she said.

Other parents say they cannot sympathize with those who bought clothes before buying a ticket to the dance.

“You put the cart before the horse. That’s what I say to that,” Tanner said.

News 2 reached out to the Berkeley County School District and received the following statement:

“Tickets to the Cane Bay High School Homecoming Dance were made available to all students in a fair and consistent manner. While all schools would love the opportunity to welcome the entire school population to an event held in one location of the school, that is not possible due to fire codes and capacity restriction of rooms and spaces,” said Katie Tanner, Chief Communications & Engagement Officer, BCSD.

This was supposed to be the first real test of the regular season for James Island.

The AAAA Trojans had rolled through their first four games, allowing just one touchdown, heading into Friday night’s game against Class AAAAA Cane Bay.

But James Island had never beaten Cane Bay in six previous tries, including a heart-breaking 3-point loss a year ago when the Cobras kicked the game-winning field goal as time expired.

The Cobras (2-2) were coming off an open date and had two weeks to prepare for the Trojans.

But this one wasn’t even close as James Maxwell scored two touchdowns to lead fifth-ranked Trojans past Cane Bay, 28-7, on Sept. 15 before a crowd of more than 2,000 at The Backyard on the campus of James Island.

It wasn’t a perfect game or even a pretty one; the Trojans turned the ball over four times and had more than 100 yards in penalties. But James Island won the physical battle up front.

“We knew this was going to be a smashmouth football game,” said James Island coach Jamar McKoy. “We made way too many mistakes, but we found a way to step up and made some great plays when there needed to be great plays made and won a big ballgame.”

James Island’s defense smothered Cane Bay’s option offense, limiting the Cobras to less than 200 yards of total offense and one TD.

“It was a very physical football game,” said Cane Bay coach Russell Zehr. “They showed up to play that kind of game and we didn’t. At times they were much more physical than we were and that’s disappointing because we pride ourselves on being a physical team and were not tonight.”

After a short punt by the Cobras, James Island grabbed a 7-0 lead on Maxwell’s 8-yard TD run early in the second quarter.

Maxwell appeared to be caught in the Trojans’ backfield on the handoff, but brushed off the initial hit, and then ran over the next two tacklers on his way into the end zone.

The Trojans pushed their advantage to 14-0 on Maxwell’s second TD of the first half, this one coming from a yard out with 2:41 left before halftime.

Summerville High School is one of just two boys’ volleyball teams that can claim it had a victorious night against Cane Bay High School this fall.

When it mattered, though, the Cobras were nearly their best on Wednesday, Oct. 25. Region 6 champion Cane Bay extended its win streak to 14 matches with a 25-21, 25-18, 25-18 victory over the visiting Green Wave in the second round of the Class 5A playoffs.

Region 7 champion Summerville was the last team to beat Cane Bay on Sept. 11. The Cobras were prepared for another battle against the Green Wave in the postseason. They blanked Summerville for the third time in a row since dropping the first encounter this season.

“I knew they were coming out for blood,” said Brian Lariviere, Cane Bay coach. “We had to play our best level of ball. They’re a very good team. I feel like my team plays better against good teams.”

The journey continues when No. 2-seed Cane Bay (17-2) advances to the Lower State final at Carolina Forest on Monday, Oct. 30, with a spot in the state championship on the line. Carolina Forest swept Wando in three games to advance (25-22, 25-23, 25-12).

The top-seeded Panthers are 32-4-4. The Lower State winner advances to the state championship on Thursday, Nov. 2.

Lariviere was pleased with his team’s performance and gave the Cobras an A grade. Summerville finished the season with an 11-5 mark.

“We had a few missed serves and a few miscommunications,” Lariviere said. “I would give it a 9.5 out of 10. There are always things that are going to go wrong but our character held up and we kept our intensity up. They never got a lead and we never let go.”

Cane Bay won its playoff opener two days earlier, blanking visiting Ashley Ridge 25-6, 25-12, 25-13.

This season marks the end of the road for 12 Cane Bay seniors and two Summerville seniors.

It was ladies’ night Thursday, Dec. 14, at the Ashley Ridge gym.

The high school hosted its first girls-only duals wrestling match that evening. School officials promoted the event by asking fans to come out and show support for the Swamp Foxes’ “Queens of the Mat” by wearing a crown or tiara to their match against the Wando girls.

Nine weight classes were contested, and all were decided with a pin. Ashley Ridge was victorious in five to claim a 36-24 team victory in the historic match.

Interest in girls’ wrestling has been on the rise in recent years. The South Carolina High School League hosted its first sanctioned girls’ wrestling individual state tournament this past school year. The league is also encouraging schools to have girls’ wrestling teams by allowing them to participate in girls’ matches during the season that doesn’t count against the number of duals wrestling matches in which a school’s wrestling program can participate.

During the first sanctioned girls’ wrestling individual championships this past year, Ashley Ridge’s Annalise Maralit won the 106-pound class, Ashley Ridge’s Lillie Costilla won the 126-pound class, and Swamp Foxes’ wrestler Alyssa Wildes won the 170-pound class.

Summerville’s Caroline Gilstrap won the 138-pound class. Wave grappler Sydney Palma placed third at 132.

BERKELEY COUNTY, S.C. (WCBD) – A family living in one Berkeley County community said they have not been receiving their mail on a regular basis, even after contacting postal officials. That’s when they reached out to News 2’s Raymond Owens.

“We moved here about a year and a half ago and over the past year or so we have had problems with sporadic mail delivery,” said Cane Bay resident Tim Jacintho. “It doesn’t show up when it’s supposed to; it now has gotten to where we’re getting mail maybe two or three days a week.”

He said a lot of people depend on the mail for prescription medications, Social Security checks, and other items. He said everyone is frustrated with the situation.

Jacintho said he and other Cane Bay residents have reached out to the Summerville Post Office with their concerns.

“She’s been telling me what’s going on- they’ve had a lot of turnover with contractors, and they’re shorthanded. She said that the growth in the Cane Bay/Nexton area, which they serve, has put too much stress on the post office. They don’t have the staff or the facility to handle it.”

He contacted Congressman Nancy Mace’s office, and his state representative and state senator. He has not heard back from them. He said Berkeley County Supervisor Johnny Cribb returned his message.

“He, like, within a few hours, and said no thanks for reporting it. He said he can’t really do anything. It’s at the federal level.

Finally, he reached out to News 2 for help.

“I reached out to you because certainly I’m frustrated with the situation here and I know that my fellow neighbors and residents are also very frustrated,” he said.

News 2’s Raymond Owens called Congresswoman Mace’s office. Their office called Jacintho back and told him they would look into the problem.

We also called the postal service – their spokeswoman said she is researching the issue to learn more and will get back to us. They later provided the following response:

“The Postal Service appreciates its customers and always strives to provide the best possible service. We apologize for any inconvenience that may have been experienced by customers living in the Cane Bay and Nexton communities. Local management is currently working with all stakeholders to ensure any delivery concerns are resolved. We can confirm the Summerville Post Office, like many businesses, is experiencing staffing challenges; however, through successful hiring efforts we have increased our workforce significantly. The Postal Service will continue flexing our available resources to match the workload, in addition to hosting more hiring events until all positions are filled. Interested applicants should log on to http://usps.com/careers frequently to check for new postings. We appreciate the patience of our customers and the efforts of employees as conditions change on a day-to-day basis. We urge any customers with concerns or questions about their mail delivery service to contact their local Post Office, so that we can look into and resolve their concerns promptly. Customers may also visit our website at www.usps.com/help.”

News 2 will continue following this story and bring you updates as we learn more.