USC student killed in hit-and-run crash near campus and a man is arrested, officials say
One man was killed Wednesday and another was arrested following a hit-and-run crash near the campus of the University of South Carolina, according to the Columbia Police Department.
The victim was a USC student, university spokesman Jeffrey Stensland told The State Thursday.
Nathanial “Nate” Baker — a 21-year-old junior, who was a business major from Glen Allen, Virginia — died in the wreck, Stensland said.
At about 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, police said officers with the department’s traffic safety unit were investigating a fatal collision that involved a motorcycle and a pickup truck.
The crash happened Wednesday afternoon at the intersection of Blossom Street and Assembly Street, according to police. That’s in downtown Columbia, on the USC campus.
At about 2 p.m., Baker was riding a motorcycle that was hit by a pickup, also driven by a man, police said. The pickup driver is 24-year-old Rosali Fernandez Cruz, police confirmed to The State on Thursday.
Fernandez Cruz failed to yield the right of way while turning left at Blossom and Assembly streets, according to police. Baker was heading west on a motorcycle along Blossom Street when he was hit by the pickup, police said.
Fernandez Cruz, along with the other occupants of the pickup, left the scene after the collision, according to police.
Fernandez Cruz did not stop or render aid to Baker or report the crash, police said. Instead, he drove away and then ran from the vehicle, according to police.
In the 1100 block of Greene Street, a traffic officer “captured (and) arrested” Fernandez Cruz, who has been charged with hit-and-run resulting in death, failure to render aid and driving without a license, police said.
Fernandez Cruz was also charged with failure to yield right of way, and is being held at the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center, jail records show. A bond hearing is scheduled for Thursday.
Following that appearance, the West Columbia resident is scheduled to return to court on June 27, according to Richland County judicial records.
After researching Fernandez Cruz in the National Crime Information Center database, police said they learned that he was wanted by the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Police said they communicated with ICE regarding Fernandez Cruz’s arrest.
Two male passengers were with Fernandez Cruz during the collision and also ran from the pickup, according to police. No charges are pending against them, police said.
Baker was taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead, according to police.
No other injuries were reported.
The Richland County Coroner’s Office is assisting with the investigation, according to police.
“Our prayers and deepest sympathies go out to Nate’s family and friends during this difficult time,” Stensland said.
USC counseling staff is working with those impacted by Baker’s death, and services are available to any member of the campus community “affected by this tragedy,” Stensland said.
There was no word if Baker was wearing a helmet, or if anyone in the pickup was wearing a seat belt.
Through Sunday, 158 people had died on South Carolina roads in 2025, according to the state Department of Public Safety. Last year, at least 948 people died in crashes in South Carolina, DPS reported.
At least 10 people have died in Richland County crashes in 2025, according to DPS data. There were 52 deaths in the county in 2024, DPS reported.
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This story was originally published April 3, 2025 at 7:55 AM.
