By: Richard L. Smith
Three men from New Jersey have been sentenced to 30 years in prison for opening fire on a vehicle occupied by two innocent individuals in Lexington County, South Carolina, according to information released by local officials.
Circuit Court Judge Diane S. Goodstein handed down the 30-year sentences after the men were convicted of attempted murder—an offense classified in South Carolina as violent, among the most serious, and not eligible for parole.
According to information released by Lexington County authorities, the shooting occurred in February 2023 outside the Country Inn & Suites on Piney Grove Road in Columbia.
The two victims were sitting in their vehicle when they were surrounded and blocked in by two other cars.
Several individuals, including the defendants, approached with firearms and opened fire when the victims refused to exit the vehicle.
At least 10 bullets struck the car. One of the victims was hit five times but survived.
Investigators later confirmed the victims had no connection to the defendants or any criminal activity, and the attack was a case of mistaken identity tied to a drug-related retaliation plot.
Prosecutors said the group had been seeking a woman suspected of arranging a drug robbery targeting one of the defendants.
The victims were mistakenly targeted because their vehicle resembled the one involved in the prior incident.
A tip identifying a vehicle’s license plate helped law enforcement trace the suspects. Cell phone data and Facebook messages further linked Daquan Jenkins, Justin Cole, and Marquez Hines to the crime.
Officials also noted that digital communications included conversations about the shooting and attempts to sell firearms afterward.
All three men were arrested in 2023. At the time, Jenkins and Cole were living in North Carolina, while Hines resided in South Carolina. Each has a prior criminal history in New Jersey, including charges related to drugs, firearms, and assault.
“These men came to Lexington County to settle a score with bullets, and they harmed people who had nothing to do with the dispute,” prosecutors said.
“This outcome should serve as a clear warning that such conduct will not be tolerated.”