Released by Solicitor Barry Barnette.
A Spartanburg County man received a 30-year prison sentence today after he admitted to causing a traffic fatality while fleeing from law enforcement.
Jared Scott Childress, 34, pleaded guilty to failure to stop for a blue light involving death, habitual traffic offender causing death, and second-offense trafficking methamphetamine for the March 26, 2019 wreck that claimed the life of Ciara Kalene Bradley, 23. Circuit Judge Mark Hayes issued the sentence.
A sheriff’s deputy tried to stop Childress’ Toyota after watching the vehicle ran through a stop sign at the intersection of Cannons Campground Road and Foster Street. Childress accelerated toward the Town of Cowpens on Foster Street. The deputy activated his blue light and siren to begin a pursuit. Childress traveled at a high rate of speed before his car slammed into the side of a tractor trailer at the intersection of Battleground Road and Bud Arthur Bridge Road.
Bradley, a front-seat passenger in Childress’ car, died 3 days later as a result of injuries sustained in the wreck.
Deputies found a bag that contained 184 grams of methamphetamine in the vehicle wedged under the driver’s seat near the driver’s door. Childress’ prior criminal record date included convictions for accessory after the fact of a felony, possession of a controlled substance, driving under suspension, criminal domestic violence, second-degree assault & battery, failure to stop for a blue light and habitual traffic offender. Days prior to the fatal wreck, Childress was jailed after he was accused of driving a stolen motorcycle as a habitual traffic offender. He also admitted guilt to those two charges during the court hearing.
“Jared Childress recklessly disregarded multiple state laws, and he never learned from his prior mistakes,” Assistant Solicitor Jennifer Jordan said. “His actions claimed the life of young woman.”
“Ciara was an organ donor, and I hope some good grew out of this tragedy,” Jordan added.
For more information, contact Murray Glenn at 809-4892 or mglenn@spartanburgcounty.org.
