Oconee County Sheriff’s Office Arrests Seneca Man on Charges of Attempted Murder

Michael Wayne Witt

(Walhalla, SC)-------------------------------------A Seneca man remains in jail today, pending a bond hearing, after his arrest on two counts of Attempted Murder.

55 year old Michael Wayne Witt, of White Harbour Road, was booked into the Oconee County at around 7:37am today.  Witt has also been charged with one count each of Assault on a Police Officer while Resisting Arrest, Breach of Peace – Aggravated in Nature, Possession of a Weapon during Commission of a Violent Crime and Malicious Injury to Real Property.

Late yesterday evening, Deputies from the Uniform Patrol Bureau were dispatched to the residence on White Harbour Road, near Seneca, in reference to a domestic disturbance call.  After arriving on scene, a Deputy heard sounds consistent with a gun being fired. 

After taking cover and announcing that he was with the Sheriff’s Office, the Deputy observed a male, later identified as Witt, come out of the house onto the porch of the residence.  The Deputy observed the man to be holding a handgun.  The man then fired multiple rounds in the direction of the Deputy. 

Additional Deputies arrived on scene.  Witt came in and out of the house on multiple occasions and refused officer commands.  Later on, Witt came out of the house and approached the Deputies, still refusing Deputy commands.  Witt was subsequently taken into custody after being Tazed by a Deputy.

Deputies then conducted a safety sweep of the home in order to locate a possible victim of the original domestic violence call.  The victim, an adult female, came back to the residence.  The woman told Deputies that she had left the residence after Witt had fired a shot at her and held a gun to her head. 

Witt was transported to Oconee Memorial Hospital, and after being cleared, was transported to jail. 

Based upon evidence that was obtained during the investigation, and according to the arrest warrants, it was determined that Witt repeatedly discharged a .45 caliber handgun at a Deputy, with one or more rounds impacting the structure behind which the Deputy had taken cover. 

The victim in the other Attempted Murder charge, which was obtained by an Investigator from the Criminal Investigations Bureau, was the adult female who escaped from the residence. 

Witt is also accused in arrest warrants of shouting threats and profanities towards responding Deputies during the early morning hours this morning.  Also, Witt’s discharge of the firearm did cause damage to a storm door and a front door of a nearby residence, according to an arrest warrant.

The Oconee County Sheriff’s Office is continuing its investigation.  Due to the nature of the charges, the Sheriff’s Office will not release any names of the victims in this investigation.