Spartanburg County Man Arrested After Multi-Day Crime Spree Involving Police Chases and Kidnapping

Accident – Death – Obituary News : Spartanburg County, South Carolina – In a shocking series of events, a man identified as Justin Morgan Phillips, 38, has been arrested and is now facing 21 charges after a multi-day crime spree that involved two police chases and a kidnapping. The Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office made the announcement on Wednesday, revealing the extent of the crimes committed by Phillips.

The crime spree began on November 18 when Phillips, along with two other unidentified men, entered the Academy Sports Store in Spartanburg. They managed to steal approximately $1,400 worth of merchandise. A vigilant customer who witnessed the incident recorded a video and later posted it on social media. Through this video, law enforcement officers were able to identify Phillips due to his distinctive tattoos.

However, the other two suspects involved in the robbery have not yet been identified, and the truck used in the crime, a 2011 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, remains missing, according to deputies.

The following day, on November 19, a clerk at the Hot Spot called the authorities to report a suspicious person in the parking lot. The clerk had seen the video posted on social media and believed that the person she was observing resembled the subject in the video. Deputies attempted to pull over the individual, later identified as Phillips, but he drove at excessive speeds and deliberately tried to strike numerous deputies by driving on the wrong side of the road, according to the sheriff’s office.

The pursuit finally came to an end on Highway 29 on the west side of Spartanburg when Phillips crashed the vehicle he was driving and fled on foot. Deputies discovered a gun beside the stolen vehicle, which had been taken the previous day.

On November 27, the warrant division received information that Phillips was at a residence on Freys Road in Spartanburg. As deputies were conducting a search of the residence and outbuildings, Phillips drove by in a van, spotted the deputies, and immediately fled the scene.

A subsequent chase ensued, with Phillips eventually crashing the van and disappearing into the nearby woods. A passenger in the van later revealed that Phillips had kidnapped him during the pursuit and had brandished a gun at him on multiple occasions. Deputies found a gun in the van, adding to the mounting evidence against Phillips.

Authorities received information on November 28 that Phillips was located at a residence on Lyndhurst Street. Due to previous encounters with Phillips, the SWAT team and negotiators were deployed to the scene. A reverse 911 call was made, and several nearby schools were notified as a precautionary measure.

After a lengthy negotiation, Phillips finally surrendered and was taken into custody at 5:45 p.m. However, due to injuries sustained during the ordeal, he was first taken to the hospital for treatment before being booked into the Spartanburg County Detention Center on the 21 active warrants against him.

The Spartanburg County authorities disclosed that during the crime spree, Phillips had a warrant from the SC Department of Probation, Parole, and Pardon Services for violating his probation, which had only recently begun on September 29. The violation occurred when Phillips was arrested by the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office on October 10 for being in possession of a .45 caliber pistol.

Further investigations into Phillips’ criminal history revealed a shocking record. A search of Greenville’s public index showed that Phillips had faced 45 prior charges between 2002 and 2023. Similarly, a search of Spartanburg’s public index revealed 20 prior charges from 2006 to 2021.

The arrest of Justin Morgan Phillips brings a sense of relief to the Spartanburg County community, as law enforcement continues to investigate the involvement of the two unidentified accomplices and the whereabouts of the stolen truck. The diligent efforts of the sheriff’s office and the cooperation of vigilant citizens played a crucial role in bringing this crime spree to an end..