A man in Wellford City, South Carolina, is facing multiple charges after allegedly hitting a child riding his e-bike with a van. He is accused of running away, later to be found hiding in an attic.
As reported by WYFF, citing the Wellford City Police Department (WCPD), the incident occurred on Thursday, June 11. At around 5:30 p.m., a rising 8th-grader was riding his e-bike on Gibbs Rd near Ridge Rd.
Suddenly, a van hit the boy, leaving him with serious injuries, police said. Allegedly, the driver didn’t stop but instead chose to keep driving.
Eventually, the van stopped at a cul-de-sac in a local neighborhood. Leaving the vehicle behind, the suspect, as seen in the footage shown below, jumps out and runs away.
Hit-And-Run
As shown in the clip, the man can be seen leaving the vehicle and running off-camera. According to the police, he sprinted into nearby woods in an attempt to hide and elude potential responding officers.
The driver was not the only one running. Photos shared by the police department showed another passenger joining the driver in his effort to escape.
While this occurred, the child had suffered serious injuries as a result of the crash. He was rushed to a local hospital, where he was admitted to the intensive care unit. Fortunately, he is stable in stable condition, and is expected to make a full recovery.
Suspect Located, Arrested
The WCPD shared the photos on Facebook in an effort to allow citizens to help locate and identify the ones involved. The men were described as Hispanic.
Two hours later, the WCPD announced that they had identified the suspect. However, they had yet to locate him and take him into custody.
The very next day, on Friday, June 12, the WCPD responded to a home in Greer. As per the police, the suspect was hiding in the home’s attic. He was subsequently placed under arrest.
Charges, Yet To Be Identified
On Friday afternoon, the police announced that the man had been arrested and charged. However, the man’s identity has not been disclosed, and, as reported by WYFF, he appears to be undocumented.
Still, the man is facing multiple charges and is being held at Spartanburg County Jail. He is charged with driving without a license and hit-and-run, resulting in major injury to a child.
The case remains under investigation, with Homeland Security being involved. It is unclear if the van’s passenger has been located or taken into custody.