From staff reports
Early Saturday morning, Jan. 15, following a standoff with Sheriff’s Office deputies at a residence on Brotherhood Road in Beaufort, Donald Veitch II — wanted for a sexual assault that occurred on Hilton Head Island — was taken into custody.
When Sheriff’s Office personnel went to the Brotherhood Road residence Friday evening to arrest Veitch, he advised he was armed and refused to come out.
Sheriff’s Office SWAT personnel responded and established a perimeter, while communication with Veitch continued via telephone.
Following several hours of conversation with Veitch, it was clear he was not going to surrender.
Sometime after 2 a.m., Saturday, SWAT members entered the residence, disarmed Veitch and safely took him into custody.
Veitch was taken to Beaufort Memorial Hospital (BMH), where he was to undergo an evaluation.
Upon his release from BMH, Veitch was to be transported to the Beaufort County Detention Center and incarcerated on the warrants for Criminal Sexual Conduct 1st Degree and Kidnapping.
The case began Thursday morning, Jan. 13, when a woman reported that she was sexually assaulted by the 59-year-old Veitch at his Jonesville Road residence on Hilton Head Island.
Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office investigators met with the woman, obtained details of the incident and collected evidence for forensic examination. They made contact with Veitch via telephone and asked him to come in for an interview; he agreed, but never showed up.
On Friday, Jan. 14, investigators met with a Beaufort County magistrate and obtained warrants for Veitch’s arrest for Criminal Conduct 1st Degree and Kidnapping, as well as to search his Jonesville Road residence.
Investigators had made contact with Veitch via telephone and learned that he was at a residence on Brotherhood Road in Beaufort. In speaking with Veitch, investigators learned that he may try to harm himself.
The Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office thanked the residents of Brotherhood Road and personnel from the Beaufort Police Department for their cooperation and assistance.
