LCSD: Burglary suspect charged for assaulting woman who walked in on church break-in

LEXINGTON, SC (WIS) - Lexington County deputies have arrested a West Columbia man for assaulting a woman during a church burglary.

James Douglas Drayton, 20, is charged with first degree assault and second degree burglary, according to arrest warrants.

“Based on information deputies gathered at the scene, Drayton threw a rock through a glass door at Red Bank United Methodist Church early Monday morning and went inside to find items to steal,” Lexington County Sheriff Jay Koon said. “That’s when he was interrupted by a church employee coming in for work.”

Drayton then grabbed an item from the employee’s hands and struck her in the face, according to Koon.

“The woman suffered some facial injuries and was treated on the scene by EMS,” Koon said.

Deputies arrested Drayton after responding to a civil issue later Monday and noting he matched the description of the burglary suspect. He’s being held in the Lexington County Detention Center after a judge denied bond Tuesday morning.

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