Columbia, South Carolina Fatal Highway Hit-and-Run: Highway Patrol

A search is underway for a driver in a hit and run collision that killed a Columbia man walking on a major highway through the Midlands, the South Carolina Highway Patrol has said.

The Highway Patrol is asking the community for help in finding the driver of Kia Forte four-door silver sedan which was built between 2013 and 2018.

This vehicle was involved in an accident Monday morning that killed a pedestrian, according to Highway Patrol.

The pedestrian has been identified as Romel Nesbit Tucker, Richland County Coroner Gary Watts said in a press release.

The collision occurred around 7 a.m. on the north side of Interstate 77 near the 12 mile marker, Master Trooper David Jones tweeted. This is the exit from Forest Drive.

After the crash, the driver of the Kia left the scene, Highway Patrol said.

The 42-year-old Columbia man died at the scene after sustaining “multiple blunt injuries to the body from a collision with a motor vehicle,” Watts said.

It is possible that the Kia has damage to the right front and undercarriage that was sustained in the wreckage, according to Highway Patrol.

Lanes were blocked on I-77 as a result of the crash, and traffic was slowed down and slowed down during the morning commute.

Anyone with information is asked to call Highway Patrol at 803-737-8340 or 800-768-1501, or report it to CrimeStoppers at 888-CRIME-SC or submit a tip online.

He was not the only pedestrian killed in a hit and run on a South Carolina highway on Monday.

Another person died after a collision at around 7 p.m. while walking on US 301 in Dillon County, according to Highway Patrol.

This story was originally published October 22, 2019 7:28 a.m.