A Sunday road rage chase in Columbia ended in a fireball at a Spinx gas station, leaving the pump island charred, one pump ripped away, three cars damaged, and two people in the hospital. One survivor, who later needed skin-graft surgery, told reporters she "thought I was going to die" as flames closed in around her car.
How deputies say it unfolded
Investigators with the Richland County Sheriff's Department told WIS that just after 1 p.m. Sunday, deputies were first dispatched to a disturbance on Summit Parkway involving a driver who said they were being chased. Before deputies arrived, the situation escalated into a multi-vehicle collision at the Spinx station in the 100 block of Lee Road at Hardscrabble Road.
Video later obtained by WIS showed flames erupting near a fuel pump as the crash ignited a fire that scorched the pump area and left one pump completely gone.
Victim speaks out
Olivia Rembert Finch told WIS on Wednesday that she had just come from church and stopped for gas when the chaos hit. The impact, she said, pinned her between vehicles as the fire spread across the station.
"I thought I was going to die," Finch recalled. She was treated for burns to her hands, legs, and feet and underwent a skin-graft procedure. She is now recovering at home.
Investigators seek witnesses
The State reported that according to the Richland County Sheriff's Office, two people were taken to a local hospital with injuries that were not considered life-threatening, and three vehicles were damaged in the blaze.
The sheriff's office has not announced any arrests and is asking anyone with information about the chase or the crash to call RCSD at 803-576-3000 or reach out to CrimeStoppers at 1-888-CRIME-SC, The State noted.
Similar incidents highlight the danger
Crashes that send vehicles into gas pumps are rare but can be brutally unforgiving. Over Memorial Day in metro Atlanta, a high-speed incident ended when a vehicle flew into a gas station lot and a bystander was killed. CBS Atlanta reported on that Fulton County case, underscoring how quickly a roadside confrontation can turn catastrophic for people who have nothing to do with the dispute.
WBTV carried video of the aftermath in Columbia and reported that local investigators are still reviewing surveillance footage and witness accounts as the probe continues. This story will be updated as authorities release more details.
