Oconee County Sheriff’s Office Arrests Westminster Man on Attempted Murder Charge

John Justin Casey Ward

(Walhalla, SC)-------------------------------------A Westminster man remains in jail today after his arrest yesterday on multiple charges in relation to a domestic disturbance investigation and a pursuit that crossed into the state of Georgia earlier this month.

Bond was denied on all charges against 46 year old John Justin Casey Ward of Westminster.  Ward was booked into the Oconee County Detention Center at around 4:11pm yesterday.  Ward was transported from the Stephens County Jail to Oconee County.

Deputies obtained 12 arrest warrants against Ward in relation to the domestic violence investigation and subsequent pursuit (one count each of Attempted Murder, Domestic Violence of a High and Aggravated Nature, First Degree Burglary, Breach of Peace – Aggravated in Nature, Malicious Injury to Personal Property, Possession of a Weapon during Commission of a Violent Crime, Pointing and Presenting a Firearm at a Person and Failure to Stop for a Blue Light, plus, two counts each of Assault and Battery of a High and Aggravated Nature and Unlawfully Placing a Child at Risk of Harm).

Ward, who was also served with two General Session Bench Warrants, will appear before a Circuit Court Judge, at a later time, regarding his bond.

The Sheriff’s Office investigation began on the evening of October 17^th of this year after Deputies from the Uniform Patrol Bureau responded to an address on W. Bennett Road in reference to a domestic disturbance.

Deputies made contact with a victim, an adult female, who stated that Ward had hit a stationary vehicle, a 2015 Jeep Patriot, with a vehicle that he was driving.  The incident occurred at a residence on Deborah’s Way, which is side road near W. Bennett Road and the city of Westminster. 

Afterwards, Ward then made entry into the residence, presented and pointed a shotgun at several victims, made threats to harm the adult female and also assaulted the adult female in the presence of the children.  Ward then left the scene of the incident. 

The victim, along with two children, then left the Deborah’s Way residence and went to a residence on W. Bennett Road, where she met with the Deputies. 

While attempting to locate Ward at an address on Murphy Drive, which is near Highway 123, a Deputy from the Pro-Active Criminal Enforcement Team observed a blue F-250 pick-up pull out of a side road and turn right onto Highway 123.  After confirming that the pick-up was one that Ward would be operating, the Deputy attempted a traffic stop, however, Ward did not pull over and a pursuit began.

The pursuit crossed from Oconee County, South Carolina into Stephens County, Georgia, where the pursuit terminated near Highway 123 and Old Jarret Road.  Ward was taken into custody without incident. 

The Oconee County Sheriff’s Office is continuing its investigation.