Davionte Kelly, 24, and Montevion Williams, 19, received 40-year jail sentences in Columbia County last week. What are their crimes? They were members of an automobile break-in crew that targeted apartment buildings. Judge Barry A. Fleming ruled that the first 15 years be served in prison.
Kelly received first-offender treatment. Williams wasn’t eligible. Two other defendants, Omarion Thomas, 21, and Nasir Woods-Blackwell, 23, have yet to be sentenced.
The June 15, 2025 investigation began around 4:30 a.m. Deputies responded to complaints of individuals entering vehicles at the Ridge Crossing Apartments in Martinez. They attempted to establish a perimeter around the property, but the suspects fled when they knew law enforcement was around.
Four people attempted to flee in a silver Kia before ditching their vehicle and racing through the complex on foot. Deputies used tasers twice during the chase, which spread across the property as drones launched overhead and K9 teams searched wooded areas.
The abandoned Kia became the center of the investigation. Deputies discovered cell phones, gloves, alcohol, and other items later linked to vehicle break-ins in both Columbia and Richmond counties.
Phone data show searches for apartment complexes and residential areas in Augusta prior to the break-ins. One defendant’s search history included multiple apartment complexes, while another phone had searches tied to Ridge Crossing before the incident.
Gun thefts from vehicles have increased dramatically over the last decade. Vehicle break-ins are becoming an increasingly serious public safety concern, even when firearms are not the primary goal. On May 15, Richmond County authorities put out an alert about an increase in vehicle break-ins in the Skinner Mill Road area.
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