Columbia men killed in crash going home after Thanksgiving gathering, coroner says
Two Columbia men were killed in a series of collisions that occurred while they were on their way home from a family gathering on Thanksgiving, the Kershaw County Coroner said.
The crashes occurred at about 1:30 a.m. Friday morning on Interstate 20, according to Cpl. Sonny Collins of the South Carolina Highway Patrol. It was near Exit 87 on I-20, which is the White Pond Road exit.
Walter St. Clair Lashley, 56, and Joseph Noel Orta, 27, were two of three pedestrians who were trying to cross the interstate and get gas for their SUV which had run out of fuel, Coroner David West said.
Lashley was like a father figure to Orta, and they lived at the same Columbia residence, West told The State. They were part of a family group returning to Columbia after the Thanksgiving get together, West said.
Their SUV had stopped on the westbound side of I-20, and they were trying to walk across the eastbound lanes to get gas at the recently opened Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores, according to West.
As they were walking, Lashley and Orta were hit by a 2019 Nissan, and a 2015 Honda that were both heading east, Collins said.
Both men died at the scene, according to West.
The third pedestrian, as well as the drivers of the Nissan and Honda were not injured in the collisions, Collins said.
No charges are expected to be filed, because the Columbia men were standing in the roadway when they were killed, Collins reported.
The collisions remain under investigation by Highway Patrol.
No funeral arrangements or memorial services have been made public.
This story was originally published November 29, 2019 at 7:51 AM.
.jpg)
