DRAGWAY SHOOTING LEADS TO 25-YEAR PRISON SENTENCE FOR ANDERSON COUNTY MAN

An Anderson County man received a 25-year prison sentence today for shooting a man to death at the Greer Dragway and injuring two pedestrians when he fled the crime scene in a car.

Randy Lee Johnson, 31, of 2273 Snow Road, was found guilty of voluntary manslaughter, and two counts of leaving the scene of a traffic accident with injuries. Circuit Judge Derham Cole issued the sentence at the conclusion of a three-day jury trial.

Johnson shot Gervis Richardson, 27, of Iva, to death June 27, 2002. Spartanburg County sheriff’s deputies responded to the dragway about 9:45 p.m. and found Johnson lying on the ground near the concession stand. He had a gunshot wound to his abdomen. He died hours later at Spartanburg Regional Medical Center.

After the shooting, Johnson took a 1989 Nissan from Michael Grogan of Anderson. Johnson struck two pedestrians (Joshua Vaughan, of Moore, and Allen McClain, of Greer) when he sped away from the crime scene. Both men sustained leg injuries. Johnson abandoned the vehicle at the intersection of Arlington Road and North Dobson Road. He slept in a nearby wooded area and hitched a ride to a Greenville County mall the following morning. Greenville County sheriff’s deputies arrested Johnson at the mall after receiving a tip that he was headed there. Johnson was carrying the murder weapon in his pocket.

"Johnson’s arrest was a great example of teamwork between police departments in neighboring counties,” Principal Deputy Solicitor Barry Barnette said. “The tip that led to Johnson’s arrest originated in Anderson County and it was passed along to Greenville County. Investigator Neal Urch of the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office deserves a pat on the back for his efforts to develop the case.”

Johnson will serve 85 percent of the prison sentence before he is eligible for release.