The Laurens County Sheriff’s Office yesterday arrested a man from Taylors in connection with an assault in Laurens County Wednesday. Deputy McMahan had been dispatched to the ZF plant at 9:01 Wednesday morning and spoke with a Greer man who reported that as he was driving to work an S-10 sized pickup got behind him on the interstate and followed him. Once he arrived at work, the driver reportedly got out and came at him in a fury. The victim didn’t exit his Miata convertible and the assailant allegedly pulled out a knife and cut a 8 inch by 24 inch “L” into the convertible top then started swinging at the victim, striking him in the face. In reviewing parking lot security deputies were not able to get a tag number. Meanwhile, the subject reportedly came to the plant yesterday to “make things right” with the Greer man. Lt. Cheek responded and learned the man’s name.
56-year-old Ernest Jay Potter of 4614 Old Spartanburg Road, Taylors was charged with Assault and Battery of a High and Aggravated Nature and Malicious Damage. Potter is accused of committing a battery on the Greer man, the act being aggravated in that he used a knife to cut into the convertible top of the victim’s car and assault him. The 2nd charge cites damage to the convertible top of the victim’s 1990 Mazda Miata. Ernest Potter was being held overnight in the Johnson Detention Center, pending arraignment.