{"id":4535,"date":"2026-08-12T06:09:40","date_gmt":"2026-08-12T06:09:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usmovingexpertss.com\/?p=4535"},"modified":"2026-08-12T06:09:40","modified_gmt":"2026-08-12T06:09:40","slug":"sc-couple-92-and-84-were-driven-out-of-home-by-scout-site-work-lawsuit-says","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usmovingexpertss.com\/?p=4535","title":{"rendered":"SC couple, 92 and 84, were \u2018driven out\u2019 of home by Scout site work, lawsuit says"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/p>\n

An elderly couple says they have been \u201cdriven out\u201d of the home where they have lived for over 40 years because of work done to clear a 1,600-acre industrial site for the Scout Motors electric vehicle manufacturing facility underway in Blythewood.<\/p>\n

Read more Winfield mass shooting: Man told dispatchers he \u2018killed his family\u2019 in 911 call<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

William Shives, 92, and Barbara Shives, 84, filed a lawsuit in circuit court Aug. 7 against Scout Motors and Richland County, saying they have had to leave their longtime home after work on the adjacent Scout site damaged their septic system, washed out their driveway, and repeatedly tossed rubble onto their property \u2014 even hitting a guest in the eye on one occasion, according to the lawsuit.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\u201cThe last thing we ever expected was to be run out of town,\u201d Bill Shives said in a statement shared with The State.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Residents nearby the future manufacturing facility have in the past raised fears over how the project could affect their properties. The Shives\u2019 suit appears to be the first filed by a neighbor of the large industrial site over alleged impacts from work being done to prepare it for the automaker.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The lawsuit comes after state regulators previously found that sediment-filled stormwater had been allowed to run off the site and into the surrounding environment, resulting in a $1 million fine against Richland County.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The Shives attempted to resolve the problems at their property with Scout Motors and Richland County directly, but were unsuccessful, the lawsuit states.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\u201cThey hoped that the work next door would be carried out in a manner that would let them remain in the house they intended to live in for the rest of their lives,\u201d the suit reads. \u201cThey bring this action because that did not happen.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Among the claims against Scout and the county are trespassing and negligence. The Shives are also seeking damages from the county under an inverse-condemnation claim, saying the project amounted to a taking of their property without compensation.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The couple is being represented by local attorney Robert Goings.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Goings told The State that the Shives \u201care being uprooted from their property,\u201d and are \u201creluctantly being forced to file this case because they are being given no other alternative.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Longtime Blythewood couple sues<\/h2>\n

<\/p>\n

The Shives have lived in their Blythewood home for more than 40 years and are longtime community leaders. In 2024, Blythewood officials for their \u201cselfless dedication, exemplary service, and unwavering commitment\u201d to the local community.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

William founded Shives Funeral Home in the 1960s, which has grown into a Columbia-area institution. The couple have remained active in the Blythewood community for decades.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\u201cIn 2024, Blythewood gave Bill and Barbara Shives the Keys to the City for decades of service to this community they\u2019ve called home,\u201d Goings told The State. \u201cNow, on Barbara\u2019s 84th birthday, she and her 92-year-old husband are being forced to abandon their home after nearly 40 years because an out-of-state car company and Richland County won\u2019t make this right.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

He added, \u201cThe Shives are wonderful people [and] our community should not let them be taken advantage of.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The Shives were in the process of leaving their longtime home Monday, Barbara\u2019s 84th birthday.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The Shives\u2019 roughly 24-acre property is located immediately next to the Scout site on Blythewood Road. Work to clear the site has included explosive blasting and excavating, leaving the Shives\u2019 home next to \u201can industrial megasite,\u201d the lawsuit states.<\/p>\n

Read more Who did Gov. McMaster vote for in Tuesday\u2019s primary?<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The work changed the landscape and affected the Shives\u2019 home in numerous ways, the lawsuit claims. Those include:<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n