Hit-and-run charge dismissed against Medal of Honor recipient

A hit-and-run charge against Medal of Honor recipient Kyle Carpenter has been dismissed, 5th Circuit Solicitor Dan Johnson says.

The charge stemmed from an incident in December near the University of South Carolina. The Columbia Police Department also charged Carpenter with making an improper turn.

Carpenter paid a $237.50 fine in April for the improper turn charge, according to court officials.

Nicole Holland of the 5th Circuit Solicitor’s office said the charge was dismissed because “the victim no longer wished to move forward with the case.”

The youngest living recipient of the nation’s highest military award was involved in a “routine motor vehicle accident,” his attorney said in December.

While turning from Blossom Street onto Assembly Street, Carpenter struck an 18-year-old pedestrian who had the right-of-way, according to the incident report.

Carpenter believed the pedestrian was uninjured at first, Columbia attorney Butch Bowers said. “After being notified by police that the pedestrian suffered an ankle injury, Kyle has fully cooperated with police and has at all times taken responsibility for this accident,” Bowers said in a statement.

Bowers could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

This story was originally published June 15, 2016 at 3:32 PM with the headline "Hit-and-run charge dismissed against Medal of Honor recipient."