January 4, 2014

Page 1

VOL. 119, NO. 68 WWW.THEITEM.COM | SATURDAY, JANUARY 4, 2014 | SUMTER, SOUTH CAROLINA | FOUNDED OCTOBER 15, 1894 60 CENTS

OBAMACARE: Adding new bundle of joy to health plan not so simple A4

ORANGE BOWL See if Clemson picked up a BCS victory over Ohio State B1

Man jailed in stabbing incident BY TYLER SIMPSON tyler@theitem.com The Sumter Police Department arrested a 52-year-old Sumter man Thursday after a stabbing that left a 48-yearold woman in critical condition Sunday. Ishmell Anthony Williams, 52, of 411 Park

Homes Court, was charged with attempted murder and possession WILLIAMS of a weapon during a violent crime after being released from Tuomey Regional Medical Center

and is being held at Sumter-Lee Regional Detention Center, according to a news release from the Sumter Law Enforcement Center. Bond has been denied on both charges. According to the report, officers responded to a domestic violence call about 10:45 p.m.

Sunday from a residence on Council Street. The officers later observed Williams walking down the roadway bloodied and carrying a kitchen knife in his hand. Officers apprehended Williams and administered first aid while additional officers located the victim in the residence

with cuts on the face, head and neck area. Emergency Medical Services arrived to send the victim to Tuomey before transporting her to Palmetto Health Richland in Columbia, where she is currently in stable condition. Williams was also sent to Tuomey, where

he underwent surgery. Williams has a record of criminal convictions that includes criminal domestic violence, first offense; first-degree criminal sexual conduct; and a lewd act on a minor. Reach Tyler Simpson at (803) 774-1295.

Air Force unit also searching for airman

BREWINGTON ROAD FIRE

BY BRISTOW MARCHANT bmarchant@theitem.com A man goes missing, and local law enforcement officers start tracking leads to find him. But it’s a slightly different and more complicated investigation when the vanished is a serving officer in the U.S. Air Force. The recent disappearance of Capt. Robby Williams, an officer stationed at Shaw Air Force Base, from his Columbia-area home displays the complexities when a uniformed service member is the subject of a law-enforcement investigation. SEE AIRMAN, PAGE A8 INFORMATION ON THE CASE

MATT WALSH / THE ITEM

Firefighters put out a blaze that destroyed a woodworking shed at 2295 Brewington Road on Friday afternoon. Damage to the property was estimated to be about $48,000, and the Sumter Fire Department deemed the building a total loss.

S.C. reports 9 flu deaths this season BY JEFFREY COLLINS The Associated Press COLUMBIA — South Carolina reported three additional flu deaths during the week of Christmas

as the number of cases in the state continued to rise. The Department of Health and Environmental Control said Friday that nine people have now died in South Carolina since the

flu season began in September. Three of the deaths have been in Charleston County, with one death apiece in Beaufort, Berkeley, Dorchester, Horry, Orangeburg and

20 N. Magnolia St. Sumter, SC 29150 (USPS 525-900)

www.theitem.com

Richland counties. DHEC said about 14,000 cases of the flu have been reported so far this season, with about 800 patients SEE FLU, PAGE A8

OUTSIDE WARMER

DEATHS Information: 774-1200 Advertising: 774-1237 Classifieds: 774-1234 Delivery: 774-1258 News, Sports: 774-1226

Thelma G. Coleman Elizabeth Johnson Helen M. Polito Mary Ann B. McCoy

Law enforcement is continuing to search for information leading to the location of Capt. Robby Williams III. Williams was last seen Dec. 18 at Shaw Air Force Base, where he works with the directorate of communications with U.S. Air Forces Central Command. Officers performed a welfare check at his Columbiaarea home when Williams failed to return to the base Dec. 23 and found no sign of him. Williams is thought to be driving a 2012 black Jeep Wrangler with S.C. license plate number ITC701. He is described as a black male in his late 20s, standing at 5 feet, 7 inches tall and weighing about 190 pounds with brown eyes and brown hair. Anyone with information about Williams’ whereabouts is asked to contact Crime Stoppers at 1-888274-6372 or (803) 576-3000.

Fred Martin Jr. Jacqueline Hawk A7

INSIDE 2 SECTIONS, 16 PAGES

Partly sunny today; mostly cloudy tonight HIGH: 48 LOW: 35 A8

Classifieds Comics Daily Planner Television

B8 B7 A8 B6


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