Joseph Allen Tuten
(Walhalla, SC)--------------------------------------A Taylors man remains in jail today, on a combined $47,382.50 surety bond, after his arrest by the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office in relation to a Tuesday disturbance investigation at Hartwell Village.
43 year old Joseph Allen Tuten, of Sutton Drive, was booked into the Oconee County Detention Center around 8:05am Wednesday. Tuten has been charged with three counts of Malicious Injury to Property and one count each of Escape and Public Disorderly Conduct.
Dispatch received a call around 12:20pm Tuesday in regards to a white male, later identified as Tuten, who walked into a business at Hartwell Village, and who was bleeding. Tuten then ran out of the store, acting erratically in the parking lot, and then ran into two additional businesses.
Deputies from the Uniform Patrol Bureau, who were dispatched to the scene, placed Tuten in investigative detention inside of a business for the safety of shoppers, employees, the deputies, and the subject as well, while a formal investigation began. Tuten was then transported to the hospital for treatment and evaluation.
Deputies also received word that Tuten may have jumped through a window of a nearby business and ran on foot from that location.
As a result of evidence obtained during the investigation, and according to information in the arrest warrants, Tuten caused damage to the windows and curtains of a room at Lakeside Lodge by throwing a toilet tank cap, and himself, through a window.
Tuten is also charged with causing damage inside of the Buff City Soap location by climbing through the ceiling space, falling through the ceiling and damaging a water pipe.
Tuten also made entry into two other businesses at Hartwell Village, Ulta Beauty and Marshalls. Tuten was placed into investigative detention at the Marshalls location, where they observed Tuten standing on top of a cabinet, while holding onto a light fixture, behind the cash registers at the front of the store.
Additional charges against Tuten were filed after Tuten kicked out the window of a Sheriff’s Office patrol vehicle while Tuten was being transported to jail after being released from the hospital late Tuesday afternoon.
Tuten was able to escape from the patrol vehicle and ran away. However, he was taken back into custody and transported back to the hospital to be evaluated. After being released from the hospital, Tuten was transported to the Detention Center and booked into jail.
The Oconee County Sheriff’s Office is continuing its investigation.