SC Highway Patrol now looking for suspect vehicle in Platt Springs Rd. hit & run

Red Bank, SC (Paul Kirby) – Troopers with the SC Highway Patrol are asking the public for their help in locating a car, its driver, and owner that’s important to their investigation into a recent hit & run near Red Bank. Early Monday, a car hit a woman who was walking near Platt Springs Road and Clermont Lakes Drive, seriously injuring the woman who was struck. That car then didn’t stop to help her and instead left the scene.

Special investigators with the SCHP M.A.I.T. team gathered evidence at the scene, and they have narrowed down the type of vehicle the suspect was driving. They say that the car is believed to be a 2004 thru 2008 Mazda 3 or a Mazda 6. These are both small, compact cars that came with 4-doors. Some were available with a hatchback, and the Mazda 6 in this year range also was available in a sport wagon model.

Investigators say that the car involved will be missing its right-side mirror housing and the right fog lamp assembly that’s round. It could also have damage to its hood, windshield, and headlight on the right side. They say that it could be any color and the year & model may be a little off. The suspect will probably be trying to hide the damage by putting it in a garage or shed, parking in a way that’s different than usual, or seeking someone to repair it off the books with no insurance involved. The person who was driving was heading east toward White Knoll High School at about 5:00 a.m. Monday.

If you have any information regarding this vehicle or its owner/driver, please notify the SC Highway Patrol at (803) 737-8340 or 1-800-768-1501. You can also get in contact with Crimestoppers by calling 1-888-CRIME-SC. You can also go to their website at www.midlandscrimestoppers.com, and click on the red “Submit a Tip” tab. You may be eligible for a cash reward if your tip leads to an arrest.