Editor

jevans@pickenssentinel.com

SIX MILE - A burning car resulted in an array of charges - including blackmail - for several suspects and trip to a burn center for one.

Six Mile firefighters discovered the burning car in the middle of a woods fire off of Kelly Mill Road on Memorial Day.

After determining there was no sign of a driver, firefighters turned the investigation over to the Pickens County Sheriff's Office.

Investigators learned the car was stolen from Greenville

The car was taken from Greenville without the owner's permission by Brittany Yongue and Leann Sutherland, both from Six Mile, according to a Sheriff's Office release.

The owner of the car was an acquaintance of Sutherland and Yongue, a Greenville Police Department incident report said.

Yongue has been charged with neglect in reporting a crime, warrants said.

Yongue's address, 196 N. Smith Street, is owned by Six Mile town councilman David Yongue, according to tax assessor records.

The two women took the car to Six Mile, where it was allegedly set ablaze by Phillip Towe, 172 Bridwell Rd., Six Mile, and Nicholas Barrett, of 409 Hunter Mill Rd, Liberty, the release said.

Barrett was injured during the fire. He was transported to Palmetto Health Baptist Easley and airlifted to the burn center in Augusta, Ga., the release said.

He has been released from the burn center, the release said.

Barrett is charged with arson in the third degree.

According to a warrant, Barrett was not involved in the car theft, but, on hearing the car had been stolen, allegedly doused it with gasoline and ignited it in a effort to destroyed the evidence.

Towe has been charged with arson in the third degree, warrants said.

He was released on a $5,000 bond.

Another Liberty man, Jeremy Millard, of 209 Colony Drive, has been charged with blackmailing Towe, Yongue and Sutherland in connection with the car fire, documents said.

The blackmail came to light after Millard was arrested in an unconnected incident, the release said.

According to the warrant, Millard "attempted to compel the victim ... to deliver to him $3,000 in two days for damages incurred to a stolen automobile."

Millard was released after posting a $11,500 surety bond, the release said.

Other warrants have yet to be served, the release said.

The incident is still under investigation.