An afternoon walk through a Boiling Springs crosswalk turned deadly Tuesday when a 71-year-old man was struck and later died from his injuries, rattling this quiet college town.
The collision happened around 3:31 p.m. at the intersection of East College Avenue and South Main Street, according to officials. The victim was identified as 71-year-old Dragan Stankovic, who was walking in a marked crosswalk when he was hit and later died at the hospital.
Driver Charged After Deadly Crosswalk Crash
Boiling Springs police have charged 47-year-old Quantina Leach with misdemeanor death by motor vehicle. Officers say Leach stayed at the scene after the crash.
Police Chief Brian DiYorio called the fatal collision “a heartbreaking incident for everyone involved and for our entire community,” as reported by WCNC.
Investigators Detail How The Collision Happened
Investigators say Stankovic was walking in the crosswalk when he was struck by a vehicle turning onto East College Avenue from South Main Street. Emergency crews responded and took him to a hospital, where he later died.
Those timeline details and the charge were reported by WCNC.
Pedestrian Deaths Part Of A Bigger Safety Problem
While this crash hits close to home, it also reflects a troubling national pattern. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s 2023 overview recorded 7,314 pedestrian fatalities that year and found roughly one in four pedestrian deaths involved hit-and-run drivers, highlighting how vulnerable people on foot are even in marked crossings.
NHTSA noted those trends in its 2023 research note.
Case Moves To Court As Investigation Continues
Leach has been charged, and the case is expected to move through the local court system while investigators continue to review how the collision unfolded.
Chief Brian DiYorio, who took over as Boiling Springs police chief last fall, will oversee the department’s handling of the inquiry, according to local reporting by The Shelby Independent.
