SC father sets fire to truck on I-85, jumps out while it’s moving with young son inside, cops say
A 32-year-old South Carolina man is accused of kidnapping his 3-year-old son in Anderson, driving to Georgia, then setting fire to his truck before jumping out, leaving his son on the floorboard, Sgt. Richard Fleming of the Georgia State patrol said Thursday.
The incident began shortly before 1 p.m. Wednesday at a home on Harris Street in Belton, where court records show Joshua Dornellas, the father, once lived.
Shale Remien, spokesman for the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office, said Donellas is accused of assaulting the child’s mother before snatching the boy. Remien declined to reveal her injuries but said she did not require hospitalization.
She had received an order of protection recently from Dornellas, he said.
Anderson deputies drove unmarked cars to follow Dornellas, who was driving a gold 2001 Ford F-150.
“Our force was tracking the suspect without initiating blue lights as to not endanger the little boy or nearby drivers,” Remien said.
The suspect headed north through Anderson to Interstate 85, where he went south.
Fleming said the Anderson Sheriff’s office notified his Georgia State Police Post 52 that a kidnapping suspect was headed their way at 12:42 p.m.
“It was determined that the driver had the 3-year-old in the front seat and threatened to kill the child,” Fleming said. “As the suspect entered Georgia, Hart County deputies attempted to stop the suspect and a pursuit ensued.”
The truck had traveled about 14 miles with officers in pursuit when troopers attempted what is called a box-in maneuver, a tactic designed to stop a vehicle by surrounding it with law enforcement vehicles and then slowing all vehicles to a stop. It was unsuccessful.
Officers saw the interior of the truck fill with smoke from a fire set by the driver, Fleming said. He said officers were still investigating what the suspect used to ignite the fire.
Then, the suspect leaped from the truck through the driver’s window, landing in the grass. Officers said the truck was still traveling at about 55 mph.
“The vehicle continued south striking an embankment and becoming fully engulfed with the child inside,” Fleming said.
On scene were troopers, Motor Carrier Compliance Division officers, deputies from Franklin and Hart Counties, and deputies from Anderson who extinguished the fire and found the child on the floorboard with severe burns.
The child, whose name was not released, was flown to the Augusta Burn Center, where he was in critical condition Thursday morning.
Dornellas was arrested and transported to Piedmont Athens Regional Medical Center for the injuries.
Fleming said “a long list of criminal charges” will be released later.
An Anderson County deputy was treated at AnMed Medical Center for hand burns and was later released.
Dornellas has a criminal history dating back to 2012, according to court records in Anderson County, involving ill treatment of animals and a host of traffic violations.
Most recently, on April 21, Dornellas was arrested for allegedly leaving five children under the age of 11 unsupervised at home. A toddler was found alone outside, Remien said.
On April 28, police charged Dornellas with domestic violence 2nd degree after he was accused of assaulting the child’s mother. That was when she obtained the order of protection against Dornellas.
“Our hearts are with the child’s mother as she faces this unimaginable situation, Remien said. “We ask the community for their continued prayers for the 3-year-old boy as he fights inside the trauma center.”
