'Screw bottle bandit’ accused of damaging cars charged in Greenwood, police say

GREENWOOD, S.C. (FOX Carolina) - The Greenwood Police Department said charges have filed for the “screw bottle bandit”, a man believed to be responsible for leaving nails and screws in roadway debris and damaging tires on numerous vehicles.

Police said they have been aware of these incidents since October of 2022 where plastic bottles, pieces of paper, and pieces of cardboard were left in the road with screws and nails stuck in them. Drivers who ran over these objects with their vehicles suffered numerous flat tires, some of which were non-repairable because of the damage sustained.

According to the department, it partnered up with the Greenwood County Sheriff’s Office to map out locations where incidents took place and to locate any identifiable evidence.

40-year-old Andrew Johnson was arrested and taken to the Greenwood County Detention Center where he was charged with common law nuisance.

Police said Johnson will have a bond hearing at 10:30 a.m. on Friday.

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