COLUMBIA, S.C. — A grieving family and investigators are asking for your help after a hit-and-run case remains unsolved one year later.
Freddie McGee says her brother Clyde Thompson Jr. was willing to help anyone anyway he could and loved making people laugh.
"He was the most genuine person. He was full of life. Everyone loved him," said McGee. "If you ever needed someone to talk to, he's going to give that lending ear."
Around 6 AM on March 15th, 2020, Thompson Jr. was hit while walking to work. The incident happened on the shoulder of I-77 N near the Garners Ferry Road exit.
McGee says this something she could never imagine and wouldn't wish on anybody.
"He didn't care how he would get to work. Rain, sleet, snow. If he had to walk, he was going to do it," said McGee. "With so many people who live in the Lower Richland community that knew him. So I know someone had to see something or someone has heard something."
Trooper David Jones with the SC Highway Patrol says they're asking for the community's help in this case.
"That pedestrian lost his life. The vehicle that struck the pedestrian fled the scene and it's something that is an ongoing investigation," said Trooper Jones.
Law enforcement knows it was a red vehicle, a SUV or GMC truck that would have had damage on its front passenger side.
Trooper Jones says sometimes people make the mistake of thinking they hit a deer when they may have actually hit a person. He believes it's important to stop and check to make sure you didn't hit any one.
The South Carolina Highway Patrol says they want to find closure for this family.
"As I stand here today, there's a family grieving the loss of a loved one, a loss of their brother, their friend, their neighbor," explained Trooper Jones. "Not only does it affect that family, but it affects the entire community. So we beg if anybody has any information or knows anything about this collision, to let us know."
McGee hopes you or someone else will help provide information that will lead to the closure this family needs.
"It's hard explaining to my children and my brother explaining to his daughter why Uncle Chopper isn't here. We don't know why. We just need closure at this point. If anybody, I don't care anybody, who knows anything or if you saw anything, please say something. If it was your loved one, you would want to know as well."
If you know any information in this case, you are asked to call Crimestoppers at 1-888-Crime-SC.