SUV was leading law enforcement on chase when it crashed, killing one person, SC cops say
A Thursday morning police chase in Richland County ended with a crash, and one person was killed while another was hospitalized, according to the South Carolina Highway Patrol.
The single-vehicle collision happened at about 12:20 a.m., said Master Trooper William Bennett. Information about when, and where, the pursuit began was not available.
A 2016 Nissan SUV was traveling west on Legrand Road as the driver was trying to evade Richland County Sheriff’s Department deputies, according to Bennett. There was no word why the deputies were pursuing the SUV that had two occupants inside.
The SUV ran off the right side of Legrand Road, crashed into a ditch and flipped over near the intersection with Edgewater Drive in Columbia, Bennett said.
One of the people in the SUV died at the scene, while the other was taken to Prisma Health Richland hospital, according to Bennett. Further information on the surviving crash victim’s condition was not available.
The Richland County Coroner’s Office has not publicly identified the crash victim who died, and there was no word if it was the driver or passenger.
No other injuries were reported.
There was no word if either of the people in the SUV were wearing seat belts.
Information about how fast the SUV was going, and what caused it to veer off the road, was not available, but the crash is being investigated by the Highway Patrol. Bennett said the events that led to the chase are being investigated by the sheriff’s department.
Through Tuesday, 106 people had died on South Carolina roads in 2024, according to the state Department of Public Safety. Last year, 999 people died in crashes in South Carolina, DPS reported.
At least six people have died in Richland County crashes in 2024, according to DPS data. There were 58 deaths reported in the county in 2023, DPS reported.
BEHIND THE STORY
MOREThis is a breaking news story
In a breaking news situation, facts can be unclear and the situation may still be developing. The State is trying to get important information to the public as quickly and accurately as possible. This story will be updated as more information becomes available, and some information in this story may change as the facts become clearer. Refresh this page later for more updated information.
