5-year-old seriously hurt in collision that killed community activist, SC deputies say
A 5-year-old child was seriously injured in a Saturday collision that killed a community activist, South Carolina officials said.
Further information on the child’s condition was not available.
A second person was also injured in the incident that killed Dr. Sonya Lewis. Richland County authorities said a car drove into a crowd.
Lewis, a 56-year-old Blythewood resident, was the spokeswoman and a member of One Common Cause Community Control Initiative, a community activist group. Lewis was also the executive director of My Sister’s Voice, a nonprofit group that supports victims of sexual and domestic violence.
There was no word on the other victim’s condition.
Driver charged
Carl Giles, 64, was arrested for driving the car that hit the crowd, which had gathered for a remembrance service near the intersection of U.S. 321/Fairfield Road and Eisenhower Drive. Giles was charged with reckless vehicular homicide, hit and run resulting in death, hit and run resulting in great bodily injury, and hit and run resulting in minor personal injury, jail records show.
He remains behind bars at the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center after being denied bond on all of the charges Sunday. The Columbia resident is scheduled to appear in court again on June 24, Richland County court records show.
The incident happened at about 3 p.m., according to the Richand County Sheriff’s Department.
Deputies said they responded to reports of a shooting near the intersection that’s close to Exit 70 on Interstate 20. When they arrived, deputies learned several people had been hit by a vehicle, according to the sheriff’s department.
The shots reportedly were fired when the vehicle drove away, the sheriff’s department said. No one was hit by the gunfire, according to the sheriff’s department.
Giles was driving a vehicle that left the road and hit pedestrians, the sheriff’s department said.
After Giles hit the victims, he continued driving down a neighboring street, the sheriff’s department said. He was pursued by others from the gathering and ultimately was detained at the scene by deputies.
There was no word why authorities believe Giles hit the group, or a motive, but the incident continues to be investigated by the sheriff’s department.
Deputies said there is reason to believe that another person might have been in the vehicle with Giles at the time of the collision.
No arrests have been announced connected to the reports of a shooting.
Anyone with information on the collision is asked to call CrimeStoppers at 888-CRIME-SC or submit an online tip.
Why there was a crowd
Lewis and others were at Fairfield Road to participate in a remembrance service for a 16-year-old who died at the location a year earlier, Rutherford told The State.
On May 7, 2021, Michael Thomas was killed in a hit-and-run crash. Thomas was an A-B honor roll student and a very talented athlete who played both varsity high school baseball and basketball, according to his obituary.
Thomas, who celebrated his 16th birthday on May 3, 2021, was riding a dirt bike south on Fairfield Road, near the intersection with Crawford Road, when he was hit from behind by a 2005 Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck, according to the South Carolina Highway Patrol.
The driver of the Chevy who left the scene was identified as Jacobi Anthony Green, and the then 27-year-old Columbia resident was charged with felony DUI with death, hit-and-run with death, resisting arrest, driving under suspension (1st offense), and expired tags, according to the Highway Patrol. Those charges are still pending, Richland County court records show.
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