Bluffton woman charged in bloody nightlife dispute. Police suspect brass knuckles were used
Jasper County authorities are still searching for details after a grisly weekend dispute that began at a Ridgeland nightclub and led to two felony charges for a Bluffton woman.
Tatiana Heyward, 22, was the first suspect charged in connection with the brawl, said Chief Jeff Crosby, a spokesperson for the Jasper County Sheriff’s office. The Bluffton woman was charged early Monday morning with attempted murder and possession of a weapon during a violent crime, jail records show.
Jasper County deputies arrived to a Hardeeville parking lot on Church Road around 3 a.m. Sunday to find a woman “severely beaten” across her face and body, Crosby said. Her deep cuts suggested a stabbing, investigators found, while bruising seemed to indicate that her assailant had used brass knuckles, a “fist-load” weapon worn to increase punching damage in hand-to-hand combat.
The injured woman was taken to the trauma center at Savannah’s Memorial Health University Medical Center, where she was later released, Crosby said. No other major injuries were reported.
Witnesses told police the incident began as a verbal dispute earlier that night at the TapUltra Lounge, a popular nightclub in southern Ridgeland, but didn’t become violent until a group met in the nearby parking lot, where Heyward allegedly assaulted the woman.
Investigators believe others were involved in the early morning assault and expect additional arrests as witness interviews continue.
Heyward turned herself in Monday morning and was denied bond, according to jail personnel. If convicted of the two felonies, she could face up to 35 years in prison.
This story was originally published April 12, 2023 at 2:21 PM.
