Driver hits tree and dies while trying to evade deputies, SC highway patrol says

One person is dead in a crash after trying to evade law enforcement, the South Carolina Highway Patrol announced.

A 2009 Ford Fusion was traveling on Colonial Drive, about two miles north of Columbia on Friday afternoon, Master Trooper William Bennett said.

At about 2:30 p.m., deputies with the Richland County Sheriff’s Department were attempting to pull over the car for a traffic violation. When they turned on their blue lights and sirens, the car sped off.

The driver lost control of the vehicle and drove off the road to the right before hitting a tree.

The driver was transported to Prisma Health Richland Hospital where they died from their injuries. The Richland County Coroner’s Office has not publicly identified them.

The SC Highway Patrol is continuing to the investigate the incident.

This story was originally published June 15, 2024 at 10:35 AM with the headline "Driver hits tree and dies while trying to evade deputies, SC highway patrol says."

Alexa Jurado

The State

Alexa Jurado is a news reporter for The State covering Lexington County and Richland County schools. She previously wrote about the University of South Carolina and contributes to this coverage. A Chicago suburbs native, Alexa graduated from Marquette University and previously wrote for publications in Illinois and Wisconsin. Her work has been recognized by the Society of Professional Journalists, the Milwaukee Press Club and the South Carolina Press Association.