A Hemingway man is facing charges in connection with an April hit-and-run on Meeting Street Road that left one person trapped, unconscious, and in need of hospital treatment. North Charleston police say it took more than six months of investigation before officers were able to track down the suspected driver this week.
Raymond Lavern Wilkins now faces charges of hit-and-run involving bodily injury, habitual traffic offender, and driving under suspension, third or subsequent offense, according to Live 5 News. The crash happened April 7 at 12:45 p.m. near Banyan Street in North Charleston and left one person injured.
Firefighters Found Victim Trapped and Unconscious
North Charleston firefighters responding to the scene told police the victim was trapped inside a vehicle and unconscious. The victim was taken to a hospital for treatment, per the outlet's report.
A responding officer found an unoccupied vehicle in a ditch along with a second vehicle nearby, the station's report states. A witness told investigators that the driver of the vehicle in the ditch got out, walked along Meeting Street Road toward McMillan Avenue, and disappeared from view before officers arrived.
Evidence Inside Vehicle Led Police to Suspect
Investigators said evidence found inside the abandoned vehicle ultimately helped them identify Wilkins as the suspected driver, according to the same account. Officers made contact with Wilkins on Wednesday, more than six months after the crash occurred, and he was taken into custody and held at the Al Cannon Detention Center. Police described the investigation as ongoing.
The case echoes another recent North Charleston hit-and-run matter reported by Live 5 News earlier this month, in which a Hanahan woman was charged in connection with a fatal hit-and-run in the same city.
What South Carolina Law Says About Hit-and-Run Charges
Under South Carolina law, failing to stop after a crash that causes injury but not great bodily injury or death is a misdemeanor punishable by 30 days to one year in prison and a fine of $100 to $5,000, or both, according to the South Carolina Code of Laws, Title 56. If a crash results in great bodily injury, the offense becomes a felony carrying a sentence of 30 days to 10 years and a fine of $5,000 to $10,000, the statute states. When a crash results in death, the law classifies it as a felony punishable by one to 25 years in prison and a fine of $10,000 to $25,000.
