Story Published:
May 8, 2009 at 6:36 PM EDT
Story Updated:
May 8, 2009 at 6:57 PM EDT
AIKEN, S.C. - A woman who claims she was assaulted by the Clearwater fire chief is telling her story.
The incident happened in 2007. But it was not until Thursday Chief Michael Toole was served that warrant and turned himself in.
While looking for a warrant for a person with a similar name, deputies came across Toole's and served him. The Aiken County Sheriff's Office says the mistake was caused by a backlog.
The alleged victim says it was too long to wait.
“I was like, oh my gosh. I really thought they had arrested him and forgotten to call me,” the alleged victim who wishes to not have her face or name shown said.
She is referring to Clearwater Fire Chief Michael Toole. She says in August 2007, when she was 17 Toole assaulted her while they were both doing work at a home in Aiken County.
“He drove up to the driveway and just started talking and said you have something on your shirt and brushed me off right here and asked if he could come in the house,” she said.
Based on the incident report, Toole says he did speak to the woman, but didn't touch her breast. She says Toole insisted that he come in but she didn't let him. She called the police to file this incident report. Then a warrant for battery and assault was put out for Toole's arrest. But he was never served.
“That was it. I never heard anything until I got the phone call yesterday,” she said.
Captain Troy Elwell of the Aiken County Sheriff's Office says they tried to serve Toole once. When they were unable to reach him, the warrant was logged in their records and forgotten until Thursday afternoon.
“We have a severe back log and just don't have the manpower to serve all the warrants we have,” Elwell said.
As to questions of possible favoritism towards Toole, Elwell says that is not the case.
“As soon as the administration found out that we had a warrant for this individual we contacted him within minutes,” Elwell said.
Toole turned himself in Thursday and has since been released on bond. Now his alleged victim says she is just glad this is all nearing an end.
“It could have happened to other people so I wish it hadn't taken so long,” the alleged victim said.
Next up, Toole will head to court for this case. As for that backlog Elwell says they get about 3,000 warrants a year and are struggling to serve them all.
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