South Carolina man held without bond after intentional hit-and-run, police say

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A South Carolina man intentionally ran over three people on Sullivan’s Island on Thursday afternoon, according to an arrest affidavit obtained by Fox News Digital.

Justin Collin Adams has been charged with three counts of attempted murder and one count of first-degree aggravated assault for allegedly running over a parent and two children in the Sunrise Presbyterian Church parking lot just before 1 p.m. on Thursday, court records show. 

The arrest affidavit for Adams says that the 36-year-old carjacked his mother at knifepoint and threatened to cut her face before he took control of her vehicle and accelerated towards the playground of the school.

SULLIVAN’S ISLAND HIT-AND-RUN: SUSPECT CAPTURED AFTER ALLEGEDLY RUNNING DOWN ADULT, TWO KIDS IN BEACH TOWN

Justin Collin Adams mugshot

A mugshot of Justin Collin Adams from the Isle of Palms Police Department in South Carolina. (Isle of Palms Police Department)

In the playground area, he hit a 12-year-old boy before accelerating at a high rate of speed toward a sidewalk as he “appeared to chase the children as they ran,” according to the affidavit.

He allegedly ran over a teacher, who was thrown over the hood of the vehicle after impact, and then a 10-year-old boy who, was pinned under the vehicle when it struck a curb, deploying the airbags and bringing it to rest. 

Adams then took off on foot. 

Justin Collin Adams

Justin Collin Adams was wanted for a hit-and-run involving an adult and two children. (Isle of Palms Police Department)

Special Services Sgt. Matthew Storen of the Isle of Palms Police Department, which took Adams into custody after a manhunt Thursday evening, told Fox News Digital on Friday that Adams is being held without bond on the attempted murder charges, and on a $100,000 bond on the aggravated assault charge. 

Storen said the motive for the attack remains unknown. 

“We had multiple aerial assets. We had marine units, boats. We knew he was last seen in the area of the marsh,” Storen said of the manhunt. “The helicopter was up in the air. One of the Sullivan’s Island sergeants was in the helicopter to guide the pilot with local knowledge. They were doing low passes.”

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Sullivan's Island, South Carolina

The crash happened at a church in Sullivan’s Island, South Carolina. (iStock)

The Sullivan’s Island Police Department and the Isle of Palms Police Department initiated the search for Adams, but state and federal law enforcement entities offered their support. 

Those agencies included the Sullivan’s Island Police Department, the FBI, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS), the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the U.S. Marshals Service. 

Storen said authorities identified Adams by the red shirt he was wearing, and that a helicopter had gotten a glimpse of him attempting to hide under a boat cover of a docked boat. 

Sullivan's Island, South Carolina

Marshland in Sullivan’s Island, South Carolina.  (iStock)

“That arrest team made up of K-9 units, SWAT team officers and regular officers – as they moved in down the dock – [they] gave commands. He complied. He was taken into custody without any incident,” Storen said. 

Adams is due back in court on June 13. 

READ THE AFFIDAVIT:

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The Charleston County Sheriff’s Office, which has taken over the criminal investigation, did not return a comment request. 

Fox News Digital reached out to the Charleston County Clerk of Court. 

Fox News’ Alexandra Koch contributed to this report. 

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