Two car theft suspects who spent the night in the swamp near Lake Waccamaw are in custody and face multiple charges. One of the suspects was arrested while attempting to flag down motorists on US 74.
Keko Kenya Somers-Williams, 19, and David Wayne Henry, 19, are charged with multiple felonies in Columbus and New Hanover counties. Somers-Williams is being held on $176,000 bail and is charged with two counts of possession of a stolen vehicle, three counts of resisting, obstructing or delaying an officer, fleeing arrest and traffic violations. Henry is being held on $76,000 bail and is charged with resisting, obstructing and delaying and possession of a stolen vehicle. Additional charges are pending.
The men allegedly fled from the Highway Patrol in a stolen vehicle in Wilmington on Saturday and then stole another vehicle in Bolton. Lake Waccamaw Police Chief Scott Hyatt said a deputy who was on his way to assist an LWPD officer around 9 p.m. Saturday spotted the second stolen car at the Marathon gas station, where the suspects were filling it up with gas.
“The suspects fled on foot when the deputy approached them,” Hyatt said.
Four of the five Lake Waccamaw Police officers began searching for the suspects along with the State Highway Patrol, sheriff’s deputies and game wardens, Hyatt said. Whiteville and Forest Service drone teams were also called in to assist, but Henry and Somers-Williams were not caught. The search was called off around 12:30 p.m.
“We were getting calls saying they were here and there,” Hyatt said. “One time they were reported at the vape shop.”
Officers found Henry shortly after noon at Speedymart, where he was sitting in a booth and covered in mosquito bites, Hyatt said. He was arrested without incident. Somers-Williams fled again.
LWPD Lt. Cory Finch was off-duty and traveling in his personal vehicle several hours later when he saw a man on U.S. 74 “running into traffic and trying to flag down cars,” Hyatt said. Finch called for backup and Somers-Williams was taken into custody.
Both men suffered severe insect bites, Hyatt said.
“I just want to thank everyone involved,” Hyatt said. “The sheriff’s office, the Highway Patrol, Hal Lowder, the Forest Service and their drone teams, Wildlife – they all worked with Lake Waccamaw to apprehend the suspects. It was great teamwork.”
