Police name 2 arrested in Walterboro robbery, shooting

Two men arrested after a bank robbery and shooting in the Walterboro area last week were identified today.

Ramone Drew, 19, and Dante Drew, 23, both of Ritter Road near Walterboro, each face charges of armed robbery, kidnapping and receiving stolen goods in connection with the heist around 10 a.m. Friday of the Heritage Trust Federal Credit Union.

Ramone Drew also faces counts of unlawful carrying of a handgun, pointing and presenting a weapon and possession of a firearm during the commission of a violent crime. Dante Drew also faces counts of failure to stop for blue lights.

The duo, whose relationship was not immediately known, entered the credit union at 814 N. Jefferies Blvd., according to an incident report. One of them pointed a handgun as they both ordered employees to the floor and demanded money.

The robbers left with a bag of cash, in which a Global Positioning System tracking device might have been placed, the police said.

Witnesses relayed a description of the getaway car, and officers from the Walterboro Public Safety Department spotted the Mazda Protégé sedan about two blocks from the credit union.

A pursuit led officers beyond city limits to Sidneys and Phillips roads, where one of the Mazda’s tires blew, officials said.

The car came to a stop on Phillips Road. One of the men ran, but was soon caught. The other was found in the car.

Neighbors reported a single gunshot, and the police found a bullet hole in the Mazda’s rear window. But the authorities have not clarified who fired the shot.

The State Law Enforcement Division is investigating the shooting while the FBI probes the robbery.

The police have said that the patrol cars involved in the pursuit were not equipped with video cameras.

Reach Andrew Knapp at 937-5414 or twitter.com/offlede.