A driver struck a person riding a unicycle on North Blackstock Road in Spartanburg around 9:42 p.m. Wednesday and then fled the scene, leaving the victim with serious injuries, according to troopers. South Carolina Highway Patrol is now searching for the driver and asking the public for help identifying the vehicle involved.
Investigators believe the vehicle was a 2016–2017 Honda Accord sedan of unknown color that was traveling south on North Blackstock Road at the time of the crash, according to FOX Carolina News. Troopers say the car may be carrying damage to its front bumper and fog light area, a detail investigators hope will help the public and area repair shops flag the vehicle if it turns up.
The crash left the unicyclist critically injured, per the outlet's reporting. Anyone with information is asked to call South Carolina Highway Patrol at 1-800-768-1503, or contact troopers at 864-241-1000; those needing a TTY line can reach investigators at TTY 711.
What South Carolina Law Says About Cyclists' Rights
Under South Carolina law, riders of non-motorized cycles operating on public roadways hold the same rights and duties as drivers of motor vehicles, according to the Palmetto Cycling Coalition, which points to S.C. Code § 56-5-3420. That statute effectively guarantees unicyclists the same legal standing and roadway access as any other vehicle operator in the state.
The driver who fled now faces the possibility of felony exposure if identified. Leaving the scene of a crash that results in great bodily injury is a felony under S.C. Code § 56-5-1210(A)(2), carrying a punishment range of 30 days to 10 years in prison and fines between $5,000 and $10,000, according to Justia Law. The same section of state code defines great bodily injury as harm that creates a substantial risk of death, serious permanent disfigurement, or protracted loss or impairment of a bodily function — the legal threshold prosecutors would need to meet to pursue felony charges.
A County Already Grappling With Deadly Roads
The crash adds to a grim tally for Spartanburg County, which led South Carolina in overall traffic fatalities in 2025 with 73 deaths, according to preliminary state data reported by The Post and Courier. Statewide, the picture remains bleak: South Carolina recorded 607 people killed in 574 fatal crashes, including 109 pedestrians, as of 9 a.m. September 10, 2026, according to the South Carolina Department of Public Safety.
North Blackstock Road has nearby access to Interstate 26 and Interstate 85, according to America's SBDC. A FOX Carolina News video reported on a bicyclist involved in a hit-and-run incident in Spartanburg.
Why Hit-and-Runs Keep Rising
Hit-and-run fatalities have climbed more than 60% nationwide since 2009, with South Carolina attorneys and law enforcement pointing to distracted driving, driver impairment, and uninsured motorists as key drivers of the trend statewide, according to Joseph Kaiser, Attorney at Law. The state has also struggled for years with non-motorist safety more broadly — the South Carolina Department of Transportation launched its first Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Action Plan in 2022 after federal data showed the state ranked second in the nation for pedestrian fatalities per capita in 2020.
For the unicyclist's family, identifying the fleeing driver could also matter for financial recovery. Under S.C. Code § 38-77-170, hit-and-run victims pursuing uninsured motorist insurance claims must report the crash to law enforcement within a reasonable timeframe, according to the Swilley Law Firm. It remains unclear whether witnesses on the scene will be able to corroborate the crash to help the victim's case, or whether surveillance footage from nearby businesses along the corridor will yield further vehicle details. For now, troopers say anyone with information on the driver or the damaged Honda Accord should come forward.
