Teen sentenced to 10 years in prison for striking deputy with stolen vehicle

COLUMBIA, SC (WOLO) — A man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison after striking a deputy with a stolen vehicle in August, 2022.

According to the Richland County Sheriff’s Department 17-year-old Jamon Cheatham drove the stolen vehicle to a handicap spot in front of a store on Two Notch Road.

Investigator Sarah Merriman, previously a deputy at the time of the incident, describes what happened next.

“I drew my weapon, which is standard for what we call a felony traffic stop, and the only words I managed to get out were “Hands!”

It was then that the sheriff’s department says Cheatham drove the car in reverse, striking Merriman with the vehicle’s bumper.

Merriman says the accident left her with a fractured hip, a concussion, and facial abrasions.

“I don’t think until you experience something like this you realize the gravity of that. You could wake up one day and go to work and either not go home or something significant could happen to you that could change the rest of your life,” she says.

On Tuesday, now 18-year-old Cheatham pled guilty to “assault and battery of a high aggravated nature” and “possession of a stolen vehicle” — giving him a negotiated sentence of 10 years in prison.

Cheatham’s defense attorney attributed Cheatham’s home life and age to his decision to reverse the vehicle that day. Cheatham’s attorney says Cheatham has also written several letters apologizing to Merriman for the incident.

Cheatham also apologized in the courtroom today.

Merriman responded after the sentencing, saying, “Your actions have consequences. It doesn’t really matter how you feel afterwards, those actions still happen. And those consequences are still real. And that’s true for me as well as Jamon. You know, he’s facing the consequences of what he did that day and I’m dealing with them and have been dealing with them everyday since the incident just in a different capacity.”

Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott says the hard home life described by Cheatham’s attorney gives him no excuse to commit crimes.

“I know a lot of people that’s had a terrible life, and they don’t make decisions like he did. You know it’s the consequences. This is not his first time being in the court system. As a juvenile, he was arrested numerous times. He knew what he was doing that day, he wanted to get away. He didn’t care how or who he hurt he was going to escape,” says Lott.

According to the judge, Cheatham must serve at least 85%  of his sentence before parole can be considered.