Driver who left the scene of fatal hit-and-run in SC sought by state police

The S.C. Highway Patrol is trying to find the driver of a car involved in a fatal hit-and-run collision near Orangeburg last weekend.

Sometime between midnight and 5:45 a.m. Sunday, a vehicle struck a pedestrian on S.C. 29, known locally as Belleville Road, north of the city of Orangeburg, killing the person, according to a statement from the Highway Patrol.

The patrol said the suspect may have been driving a Toyota or Lexus. The vehicle may have damage to its undercarriage and the lower front end, a patrol statement said.

Multiple media outlets reported that the victim was 37-year-old Martell Riley.

Previous reporting by The State said the accident occurred about 5:40 a.m. Sunday The vehicle was driving north on Belleville when the crash occurred, The State reported this week.

Anyone with information about the accident should contact the patrol at 843-953-6010 or dial “*47’’ from a mobile phone.

This story was originally published June 19, 2025 at 10:06 AM.

Sammy Fretwell

The State

803-771-8537

Sammy Fretwell has covered the environment beat for The State since 1995. He writes about an array of issues, including wildlife, climate change, energy, state environmental policy, nuclear waste and coastal development. He has won numerous awards, including Journalist of the Year by the S.C. Press Association in 2017. Fretwell is a University of South Carolina graduate who grew up in Anderson County. Reach him at 803 771 8537. Support my work with a digital subscription