SC teen charged with manslaughter after car chase with girlfriend ended with 2 dead

A 17-year-old has been charged with manslaughter after a car crash that killed two teenagers was determined to be criminal, the Orangeburg County Sheriff’s Office announced, following a joint investigation with the South Carolina Highway Patrol.

“We received information that prompted us to look closer at this car crash,” Sheriff Leroy Ravenell said in a news release. “As a result of the investigation along with the Highway Patrol, we have determined this case warranted criminal charges.”

Ravenell said 17-year-old Elijah Hickson of Calhoun County was charged with two counts of manslaughter in connection with the crash. If convicted, he could face up to 30 years in prison on ach count, officials said.

An 18-year-old female and a 17-year-old male were killed when their car ran off the road and struck a tree on Neeses Highway on Tuesday.

According to affidavits, it was because Hickson was chasing them at a high rate of speed after finding the male with his girlfriend. The victims had evaded him, but lost control of their car.

The investigation into the case is ongoing.

Alexa Jurado

The State

Alexa Jurado is a news reporter for The State covering Lexington County and Richland County schools. She previously wrote about the University of South Carolina and contributes to this coverage. A Chicago suburbs native, Alexa graduated from Marquette University and previously wrote for publications in Illinois and Wisconsin. Her work has been recognized by the Society of Professional Journalists, the Milwaukee Press Club and the South Carolina Press Association.