Coroner identifies motorcyclist who died in northeast Columbia wreck
The Richland County Coroner’s Office has identified the victim of a Friday motorcycle crash near Interstate 77 in northeast Columbia.
Coroner Gary Watts identified 65-year-old Michael S. Smith of Bridgecreek Drive in Columbia as the motorcyclist killed in a three-vehicle collision on Clemson Road near Ricky Lane, about a mile from I-77 along a commercial stretch near Blythewood.
At about 12:45 p.m. Friday, Smith was riding his Harley Davidson motorcycle along Clemson Road when the driver of a Jeep SUV tried to cross Clemson from Ricky Lane, according to the South Carolina Highway Patrol.
The driver of Jeep struck Smith, the highway patrol said. After hitting the motorcycle, the Jeep collided with another vehicle on the other side of Ricky Lane.
Paramedics transported Smith to Prisma Health Richland hospital where he died about an hour after the collision, according to Watts. An autopsy indicated that Smith died from blunt trauma of the torso. Smith was wearing a helmet, the highway patrol said.
No others were injured in the wreck.
As of Saturday no one has been charged in the collision but it remains under investigation by the highway patrol.
According to authorities, fatal motorcycle collisions begin to increase during the spring and summer months; last year fatal motorcyclist collisions hit a four year high.
This story was originally published May 23, 2020 at 1:25 PM.