S. Carolina felon caught after escape
By BARRY HALVORSON news@leader-news.com

The combined efforts of local law enforcement resulted in the recovery and arrest of a man sought on an outstanding arrest warrant from South Carolina after he fled following a traffic stop.

The incident started at 11:35 p.m. on May 3 when Department of Public Safety Sgt. Daniel Terronez stopped a vehicle driven by Aaron Mc- Quarter, 20, of Wharton, at the intersection of FM 1301 (Boling Highway) and Richmond Road in Wharton.

Terronez said the probably cause for the stop was a defective headlight.

A check on McQuarter turned up the South Carolina warrant. After being handcuffed, McQuarter fled on foot, running behind the Subway restaurant located at the intersection.

"He just took off running," Terronez said. "We contacted the Wharton Police Department and officers Christina Resendez and Dino Garcia contacted his girlfriend who essentially helped Mc- Quarter turn himself in. When he was picked up, he was still in handcuffs. He was gone for less than 30 minutes."

Because he fled the scene after being handcuffed, McQuarter is now charged locally with escape and as of Tuesday morning was being held at the Wharton County Jail on $20,000 bond. Terronez said he was still trying to verify the warrant out of South Carolina, which he said was based on a charge of burglary.