Man involved in hit-and-run dies in hospital as Columbia police search for driver
A man who was injured last week in a hit-and-run collision has died, the Columbia Police Department said Tuesday.
After suffering serious injuries, Benjamin Franklin Walker died at an area hospital on Jan. 17, police said in a news release.
The 52-year-old was hit by a vehicle while walking on Jan. 9, police previously reported.
The pedestrian was on a sidewalk in the 3700 block of West Beltline Boulevard when the crash happened, police said.
Richland County Coroner Gary Watts said Walker died after suffering blunt force trauma to the upper body, according to the release.
No arrests have been made as police continue to look for the driver involved in the hit-and-run.
Police identified a “white or light-colored newer model, mid-size SUV” as a vehicle of interest in Walker’s death.
Police are asking for the community’s help locating the driver or any passengers who were in the SUV at the time of the collision.
Anyone with information is asked to call 911 or report it to CrimeStoppers at 888-CRIME-SC or submit an online tip.
Walker was the first of two men to die following a hit-and-run collision in Columbia over the course of a day.
Nelson Vicente Felipe was found near a southbound lane of Interstate 77 on Saturday and died shortly after being taken to an area hospital. The 24-year-old was a passenger who jumped from a moving vehicle before the hit-and-run crash, Watts said.
In three weeks, 28 people have died on South Carolina roads in 2020, according to the Department of Public Safety. Seven of those victims were pedestrians, DPS reported.
This is a developing story, check back for updates.
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This story was originally published January 21, 2020 at 12:06 PM.
