Man crashes vehicle, then tries to escape after taken to hospital
By TARA JENNINGS Ledger Staff Writer tara@gaffneyledger.com

Moss

A 43-year-old shoplifting suspect from Cowpens who crashed a stolen car while fleeing from police tried to escape custody by running from the emergency room at Upstate Carolina Medical Center (UCMC), authorities said.

Sgt. Scott Tallent of the Gaffney Police Department has charged Richard Scott Moss with shoplifting, grand larceny, resisting arrest, driving under the influence and 2nd-offense driving under suspension.

Security personnel at Wal- Mart in Gaffney said Moss stole $70 in merchandise at 1:50 a.m. Wednesday and then ran from the store when officers attempted to arrest him. Moss left in a 1994 Oldsmobile 88 stolen from Macedonia Road while the owner was sleeping, according to reports at the Gaffney Police Department.

S.C. Highway Patrol Trooper Dean McAbee attempted to stop Moss at Gettys Drive and Floyd Baker Boulevard, but Moss failed to stop and continued fleeing until he wrecked on Sarratt Avenue, where he was taken into custody, authorities said.

Moss told police he had been drinking and had taken several prescription drugs, according to one of the reports. Alcohol and drug screens are pending. A beer bottle was seized from Moss.

The items stolen from Wal- Mart were recovered.

While at UCMC, Moss ran out a sliding glass door in the emergency room and was tackled by Tallent before he got outside and further resisted the officer while being handcuffed, a separate report states.