Lincolnville, SC - Traffic Stop - Police Officer Missing - Police Car Found Burning Miles Away
Police Car In Flames; Officer Missing
March,15th, 2007
LADSON, S.C. – Dozens of police officers and bloodhounds searched for a
missing constable Tuesday after his empty cruiser was found in flames several
miles from where he was last seen at a traffic stop, authorities said.
Charleston County Sheriff Al Cannon said authorities had identified a “person of
interest” who was being sought on an unrelated weapons charge.
But he said officials don’t know what happened to Robert Lee Bailey, a
67-year-old constable who works for the Lincolnville Police Department.
“It certainly does not look good. But we are hopeful. We have no explanation for
what occurred,” Cannon said.
Bailey was last seen when he pulled a vehicle over about 10:30 p.m. Monday in
Lincolnville. Witnesses reported hearing gunshots a few minutes later, and
Bailey’s cap, two guns, bullet casings and blood were found in a yard.
About an hour later, a state trooper spotted Bailey’s burning car in the
parking lot of a church off Interstate 26. The shooting was not believed to be
related to the traffic stop, Cannon said.
Cannon said officials wanted to speak to a 24-year-old man sought on a federal
weapons charge. Walter Fayall, of St. Stephens, was being sought by the Bureau
of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. No charges had been filed against
him in the missing officer case.
The sheriff said authorities are investigating whether Fayall lived in a house
near the shooting site. Cannon also said two people may have been involved,
because the police cruiser was burned several miles from the shooting scene.
Authorities also issued an alert for a black Chevrolet Caprice. Along highways
near Lincolnville, a small town about 20 miles west of Charleston, electronic
signs listed a fugitive alert.