A 28-year-old Anderson County man is facing attempted murder and weapons charges after authorities say he opened fire on another driver during a midday road-rage encounter in Clemson, South Carolina. The shooting happened just before noon near the intersection of U.S. Highway 76 and Old Stone Church Road, sending witnesses scrambling to call 911 as gunfire broke out in traffic.
How the Encounter Unfolded
According to investigators, a driver heading northbound on U.S. 76 was cut off by a gray sedan that swerved in front of him. After the victim honked, the sedan’s driver pulled into the median and stopped. The victim continued driving toward a nearby red light, at which point several shots were fired, striking his windshield. He was not injured. The sedan reportedly pulled up behind the victim’s vehicle briefly before speeding off south on Pendleton Road.
How Police Identified the Suspect
The victim was able to record the sedan’s license plate and provide a description to responding officers at a nearby gas station. Within minutes, a matching vehicle was spotted, and Anderson County deputies stopped the driver on SC Highway 187 near I-85. Authorities identified the driver as Charles Douglas Mace Jr. A search of the vehicle reportedly turned up an AR-style pistol illegally modified to fire fully automatically, fitted with a shell catcher.
Charges Filed
By Thursday, warrants had been issued charging Mace with attempted murder, felony possession of a firearm, and illegal possession of a machine gun. He is currently held at a Clemson-area detention facility while the investigation continues. As with any pending case, the charges are accusations, and Mace is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.