Columbia man killed in crash where driver left scene is identified by SC coroner
A man was killed in a recent crash in South Carolina and there’s a search for the person who drove away from the collision, according to the Columbia Police Department.
Joshua A. Smith, a 29-year-old Columbia resident, was identified as the person who died, Richland County Coroner Naida Rutherford said Tuesday.
The hit-and-run happened Sunday night at an on-ramp connecting Interstate 20 and North Main Street, police said on social media.
At about 8 p.m. Sunday, officers responded to the I-20 ramp where the pedestrian was hit by an unknown vehicle, according to police.
No other injuries were reported.
Officers have collected evidence from the scene of the wreck, as they continue to investigate the specific circumstances of the crash, including trying to find out who was the driver and what vehicle was involved, police said.
Anyone with information about the crash, or the driver involved, is asked to call CrimeStoppers at 888-CRIME-SC or submit an online tip.
Through Sunday, 14 people had died on South Carolina roads in 2026, according to the state Department of Public Safety. A minimum of 914 people were killed in collisions in South Carolina in 2025, DPS data shows.
At least two people have died in crashes in Richland County this year, where at least 48 people died in crashes in 2025, according to DPS data.
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This story was originally published January 13, 2026 at 7:17 AM.
