Pedestrian dies after being struck by numerous vehicles in Lexington County hit-and-run

The S.C. Highway Patrol is investigating an apparent hit-and-run death of a Lexington County pedestrian whose body was struck and run over by numerous vehicles just after dark on Thursday on a rural road near Pelion.

The pedestrian, who was identified as Robert W. Barrs, 74, of Pelion, died at the scene, according to Lexington County Coroner Margaret Fisher.

Fisher said the first vehicle to hit Barrs at 7:17 pm Thursday “fled the scene.”

But then, “video surveillance revealed 34 other vehicles drove past Mr. Barrs with multiple vehicles hitting him before someone stopped and 911 was called at 7:36 p.m,” Fisher said in a press release.

The incident happened shortly after sunset on U.S. 178 near Wash Board Road, several miles southeast of Pelion.

A Highway Patrol MAIT team, whose investigators use state-of-the-are technology and analysis, is involved in figuring out what happened, said S.C. Highway Patrol Trooper Mitchell Ridgeway. .

“This collision remains under investigation,” Ridgeway said. The coroner’s office continues to investigate.

This story has been updated with information from the Lexington County coroner’s office.

This story was originally published October 25, 2024 at 10:32 AM.