Driver arrested after running away from crash that killed 9-year-old, SC officials say

Weeks after a 9-year-old Midlands boy was killed in a hit-and-run crash, a man has been charged with multiple crimes, the South Carolina Highway Patrol said Wednesday.

Lucious Terrance Magazine was arrested Tuesday and is being held at the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office Detention Center, jail records show.

The 35-year-old Sumter resident ran away from a March 15 wreck where five people from another vehicle were hospitalized with serious injuries, according to Master Trooper David Jones.

Jaiden Thompson was one of them, and on March 20 the Sumter child died while being treated at a Prisma Health hospital in Richland County, according to Sumter County Coroner Robbie Baker.

Further information on the conditions of the other people who were hospitalized was not available.

The two-vehicle collision happened at about 8 p.m. on March 15, Jones said. Jaiden and the other crash victims were occupants in a 1999 Honda, according to Jones.

Both the Honda and a 2005 Chevrolet Tahoe were driving south on U.S. 15, near the intersection with Havenwood Drive in Sumter, Jones said. When the Honda slowed down it was hit in the rear by the Chevy SUV driven by Magazine, according to Jones.

There was no word if any of the occupants involved in the wreck wore a seat belt.

Magazine got out of the Chevy and ran away on foot, Jones said.

Information on how Magazine was identified as the SUV driver was not available.

Magazine was denied bond on the charges of reckless homicide, hit-and-run leaving the scene with death, hit-and-run leaving the scene with great bodily injuries, hit-and-run leaving the scene with minor injuries, driving under suspension, jail records show. Magazine was also charged with use of license plate other than for vehicle which issued, operating or permitting operation of vehicle which is not registered and licensed, and uninsured motor vehicle fee violation, according to Sumter County court records.

Despite the arrest, Jones said the Highway Patrol continues to investigate the collision.

Through Tuesday, 211 people had died on South Carolina roads in 2022, according to the Department of Public Safety. Last year, 1,149 people died in crashes in South Carolina, DPS reported.

At least seven people have been killed in Sumter County crashes in 2022, according to DPS. There were 31 deaths there last year, DPS data shows.

This story was originally published March 30, 2022 at 12:28 PM.

Noah Feit

The State

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Noah Feit is a Real Time reporter with The State focused on breaking news, public safety and trending news. The award-winning journalist has worked for multiple newspapers since starting his career in 1999. Support my work with a digital subscription