Williston man arrested for allegedly throwing “suspicious” explosive devices from car in Aiken County

A Williston man was arrested on Halloween after allegedly throwing “suspicious” explosive devices from his car in Graniteville Saturday afternoon, Oct. 31.

According to the Aiken County Sheriff’s Office, around 2:55 p.m., deputies were called to the 700 block of Leitner Street. The victim reported walking on Leitner Street when a man driving a green Ford Mustang stopped and threw something out of the window and drove away. The unknown object then reportedly exploded leaving the victim uninjured. A second, unexploded device was found when deputies arrived.

Aiken County investigators, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division and Richmond County Sheriff’s Office were called in to assist with the investigation.

The sheriff’s office said witnesses identified Michael Barnwell, 35, as the man in the Mustang fleeing the scene. Deputies stopped the car on State Park Road near Old Tory Trail Road and took Barnwell into custody.

He was transported to the Aiken County Detention Center.