Darlington County man sentenced for shooting girlfriend in face

DARLINGTON COUNTY, S.C. (WBTW) — A Darlington County man was sentenced to 20 years in prison for the attempted murder of his girlfriend, the Fourth Circuit Solicitor’s Office said Friday.

Jesse Washington pleaded guilty to attempted murder. He shot and injured his girlfriend in a domestic violence incident.

The incident happened when the woman was in a car with her children, aged 2 and 9, the solicitor’s office said. While she was calling 911, Washington jumped in the car, disabled it and put a gun to the woman’s head.

Dispatchers heard screaming when the line went dead after the woman was shot in the face, according to the solicitor’s office. Despite being shot, the woman was able to get her children out of the car and flee while Washington continued shooting in her direction.

The woman lost an eye in the shooting but recovered to appear in court. An attempted murder charge carries up to 30 years in prison.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.