Counton 2
April 24, 2015
One man is dead, and two people are recovering from injuries after an in St. Stephen assault that ended in murder.
According to police, John Dazle, Jr.’s contact with law enforcement began Wednesday evening in Bonneau. They say he hit this median curb on Highway 52 at a high rate of speed, went out of control, off the road, slamming through signs wood and electric boxes before crashing into the woods.
Debris and tire marks can be seen along a number of properties. Police say Dazle was probably traveling in excess of 120 miles per hour. Dazel was issued a ticket for the incident.
Thursday night, police were called to a house on Ravenell Drive in St. Stephen, the home of Floyd Valachovic. Valachovic was already dead. They believe John Dazle Jr. may have beaten Floyd to death using Floyd’s oxygen tank. Berkeley County Coroner Bill Salisbury says he will know the exact cause of death after an autopsy.
St Stephen investigators believe after Dazle killed Floyd at his home, that he came next door to his parents home and began assaulting them. Investigators believe Dazle began to choke his mother. His father then grabbed a hammer and hit his son in the back of the head to get him off his mother. Dazle then began attacking his father. Eventually the three made it outside of the home and Dazle was arrested.
Dazle is currently being held at the Hill Finklea Detention Center in Moncks Corner.
Dazle expected to be charged with one count of murder and two counts of attempted murder.