x
Breaking News
More () »

High speed chase leads to fatal crash in Columbia, traffic delays

After suspect wanted in Cayce fled from a traffic stop, police chased the person all the way into Columbia leading to a crash on Shop Road.

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Before 5 p.m. on Monday afternoon, police caught sight of a person wanted on multiple charges of larceny, burglary, breach of trust. The suspect was driving on Charleston Highway in Cayce when police attempted to pull them over.  

However, instead of stopping the car led police on a chase that went from Charleston Highway all the way onto Shop Road in Columbia, right in front of Joseph Coefield's neighborhood.

RELATED: High speed chase leads to fatal crash near Shop Road

Coefield says he was in his home on Atlas Road when the police chase passed right by his neighborhood.

"There were police cars coming from all directions, down Shop Road, down Atlas, everywhere," he explained.

Although Coefield says hears a lot of sirens travelling through the area, he is disappointed that what happened Monday was a police chase.

"There's no reason to run from the law," he stated. "We need to get our community back because this isn't it. I've been here for 63 years and we never used to see stuff like this over here."

The suspect's car crashed on the intersection of Pineview Road and Shop Road. South Carolina Highway Patrol says there were a total of three cars involved in the incident.

"Unit one was travelling North on Pineview Road in an attempt to elude law enforcement, Unit two was travelling East on Shop Road, and Unit Three was travelling West. Unit One struck Units Two and 3Three," explained Lance Cpl. Nick Pye.

RELATED: Freight train derails near Shop Road in Columbia, causes fuel spill, two injured

Drivers were asked to avoid the area for hours while the scene was being cleaned up.

"This high speed chase remains under investigation by the highway patrol with the assistance of the MAIT team," Cpl. Pye said.

Richland County Coroner, Nadia Rutherford, confirmed there was one death resulting from the crash. The identity of the victim has not been released at this time.

Before You Leave, Check This Out