Beaufort Co. man turns himself in after fatal hit-and-run over July 4 weekend
A Beaufort County man turned himself in to police in connection with a hit-and-run that killed a bicyclist over the Fourth of July weekend.
Tremaine Jalik Coker, 26, of Grays Hill, was charged Wednesday morning with fleeing the scene of a fatal hit-and-run. Public records also list an address in Yemassee within Hampton County that is connected to him.
The collision killed 50-year-old Beaufort resident Vick Smalls, who was riding a bicycle on U.S. 21 (Trask Parkway) when Coker, driving a Ford truck, allegedly struck him and left the scene without informing police.
Loved ones remember Smalls as a “natural comedian” and a compassionate friend.
Troopers with the South Carolina Highway Patrol identified the suspect vehicle as a blue Ford in the days following the collision. In early August, the agency released photos of a blue 2002 Ford F-150 extended cab pickup truck, calling it a “vehicle of interest.”
The SCHP estimated the fatal crash happened between 8 p.m. July 5 and 6 a.m. the following morning.
Coker remained in custody at the Beaufort County Detention Center as of 5 p.m. Wednesday, according to inmate rosters. His bond information was not immediately available.
Fleeing a fatal hit-and-run is a felony punishable by one to 25 years in prison or a fine between $10,000 and $25,000 under South Carolina law.
This story was originally published October 9, 2025 at 6:00 AM.
