Man killed evading traffic stop in Richland County has record of traffic crimes
The Lexington County man who died in a crash while trying to evade law enforcement had a record of traffic crimes, court records show.
Prior to Wednesday’s wreck, Curtis Antonio Reese was convicted of two traffic charges in Lexington County and served time in jail, according to court records.
The 48-year-old Cacye man, who was killed while driving a stolen SUV, has an extensive criminal record in Lexington and Richland counties, according to court records.
The collision happened at about 1 a.m. on Interstate 20, after a trooper with the South Carolina Highway Patrol attempted to pull over Reese for speeding, Cpl. Sonny Collins said. Reese was driving 88 mph in a 60 mph zone near the 67 mile marker on I-20, according to Collins.
Rather than stop the 2013 Ford Explorer, Reese sped away and took Exit 68, turning right onto Monticello Road, Collins said.
The trooper pursued, and the 2.5-mile chase lasted about a minute before the Explorer ran off the right side of the Columbia road and smashed into trees, Highway Patrol reported. The wreck was near the intersection with Wildwood Avenue, close to Eau Claire High School.
Reese was not wearing a seat belt and was ejected from the SUV, Richland County Coroner Gary Watts said in a news release.
He was taken to an area hospital where he died just before 2 a.m., according to the release.
After performing an autopsy, Watts said Reese suffered “multiple blunt force injuries to the body.”
An area resident who lives down the road told The State the crash was so loud it woke him.
Reese’s death is being investigated by the Richland County Sheriff’s Department, along with the coroner’s office.
Highway Patrol said the Ford was reported stolen from Hope Mills, North Carolina.
In 1994, Reese was convicted of driving under a suspension for the second time and was sentenced to six months in jail, court records show.
He was fined for driving with illegal window tinting or sunscreening in 2018, according to court records.
At the time of his death, Reese was facing pending weapons charges in Richland County. Court records show a jury trial was requested in Richland County by Reese for charges of driving with an open container of alcohol, shoplifting, breach of peace (aggravated nature), and malicious injury/trespassing.
In Lexington County, Reese pleaded guilty to a drug possession as well as miscellaneous & non-discernible crimes charges in 1992, and received a 15- and 10-year suspended sentence respectively, court records show.
This story was originally published January 16, 2020 at 1:10 PM with the headline "Man killed evading traffic stop in Richland County has record of traffic crimes."
