LEXINGTON — One person is dead following a hit-and-run incident that left multiple roads blocked for hours in the Swansea area on July 8.
The fatal collision occurred around 6:50 a.m. and involved two vehicles and a tractor-trailer at the intersection of W.E. Jeffcoat Road and SC-6, according to S.C. Highway Patrol Master Trooper William Bennett and Lexington County Coroner Margaret Fisher.
A northbound Kia Rio failed to stop at a stop sign and collided with a trailer attached to a tractor-trailer traveling east on SC-6. The driver of the Kia, identified as Donerell M. Lykes, 36, of Columbia, was not wearing a seatbelt and was ejected onto the roadway.
Witnesses reported that a dark-colored sedan, later identified as a gray 2007-2011 Toyota Camry, struck Lykes on the road before fleeing the scene heading north on Blackville Road. The Camry is expected to have damage on the driver's side, near the bottom of the doors.
Authorities said the driver of the tractor-trailer was transported to a nearby hospital for injuries. Both the tractor-trailer and Kia had only the drivers as occupants.
The S.C. Highway Patrol is investigating the incident and is seeking information regarding the Toyota Camry's driver. Tips can be submitted anonymously by calling SCHP at 803-896-9621 or Crime Stoppers at 888-CRIMESC (274-6372).
Portions of SC-6, W.E. Jeffcoat Road, and Blackville Road remained closed during the investigation and reopened around 3 p.m., according to Bennett. Further details about the deceased can be obtained from the Lexington County Coroner's Office.