Two Killed And Three Injured In Orangeburg Collision

Most people who drive in traffic at dangerously high speeds do not do it for fun and excitement.  For people who enjoy the thrill of hurtling through space in a speeding vehicle, there are race tracks, amusement parks, and off-road vehicle areas.  Distracted driving can lead to unsafe speeds, but distracted drivers usually realize that they are speeding and slow down before they cause a collision.  When drivers fail to slow down before a crash, one of two things is usually the case.  The first is that the driver has something more absorbing than a text message notification occupying their mind; alcohol and drugs play a role in a disproportionate number of high-speed crashes.  The second is that the driver is in such a hurry to get to their destination without law enforcement catching them that they are willing to risk their own life and other people’s.  Many vehicles involved in high speed crashes contain things that could cause the driver to get criminal charges, everything from illegal drugs and weapons to the driver simply not having a valid driver’s license.  If you have been injured in a car accident where the at fault driver was traveling at a recklessly high speed, contact a Columbia car accident lawyer.

Driver Was Fleeing From South Carolina Highway Patrol

In February 2022, four South Carolina State University students and one SCSU alumna were traveling in Orangeburg in a 2009 Mercury Milan.  Meanwhile a South Carolina Highway Patrol trooper noticed a 2015 Hyundai Sonata speeding on the Highway 21 bypass.  The trooper flashed his blue lights, but the Sonata increased its speed.  The Sonata made several turns onto different roads to elude the SCHP, and at the intersection of S.C. Highway 33 and S.C. Highway 178, it collided with Milan.  The collision claimed the lives of Shemyia T. Riley, who was an SCSU student, and Zeleria Simpson, who had recently graduated from SCSU.  Three other SCSU students were also in the vehicle, and they were transported to a hospital after the accident.

The driver of the Sonata, Fuquan Mekhi C. Hills, was arrested after the accident.  He is facing criminal charges for failure to stop for blue lights resulting in death, felony DUI resulting in death, failure to stop for blue lights resulting in great bodily injury, felony DUI resulting in great bodily injury, open container of alcohol in a motor vehicle, illegal possession of a firearm, and possession of marijuana with intent to distribute.  Whether or not Hills is convicted of the charges, the injured students have the right to file personal injury lawsuits in connection to the collision, and the families of Riley and Simpson have the right to file wrongful death lawsuits.

Let Us Help You Today

The car accident lawyers at the Stanley Law Group can help you if you were injured in a car accident where the at fault driver was under the influence of drugs or alcohol or was attempting to elude police.  Contact The Stanley Law Group in Columbia, South Carolina or call (803)799-4700 for a free initial consultation.

Sources

https://thetandd.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/man-charged-in-fatal-orangeburg-crash-scsu-alum-student-died-in-collision/article_c8d054e9-19ea-5f1d-9ef7-c6668e087bf9.html