PRESS RELEASE
June 2, 2016
CHARGES IN TIMMONSVILLE SHOOTING
SUBJECT: Richard William Grooms, age 58, of 5885 Oates Highway, Timmonsville, SC 29161 was arrested by Investigators with the Florence County Sheriff’s Office on June 2, 2016 and charged with Filing a False Police Report (S.C. Code Ann. 17-17-722(B)) and Malicious Injury to Property (S.C. Code Ann. 16-11-510(A)). See FCSO Booking Website for additional information.
NARRATIVE: Investigators with the Florence County Sheriff’s Office arrested Richard William Grooms on June 2, 2016 and charged him with Filing a False Police Report and Malicious Injury to Property. These charges originated with the investigation into an alleged shooting which reportedly occurred on May 27, 2016 at the Byrd Cemetery located on J. Albert Sims Street in Timmonsville, SC. According to Investigators, Grooms falsely alleged that he was the victim of an attempted murder during which he was shot once in the shoulder. Investigators allege that Grooms’ gunshot wound was self-inflected and that he had earlier fired one round from a 9mm handgun into the windshield of the Timmonsville Rescue vehicle to make it appear as if he had been shot from outside the vehicle. Grooms was treated at an area hospital for the gunshot wound and released.
Following a bond hearing before a Florence County Magistrate earlier today, Grooms was released on a personal recognizance bond.
END
Major Michael M. Nunn
General Counsel/P.I.O.
