Ridgeland man dies in the hospital after Easter Sunday hit-and-run
An Ridgeland man died in the hospital Monday after a hit-and-run on Easter.
Tristan Ian Swartz, 26, was riding his motorcycle at the Willis Drive and Old House Road intersection, near Cooler’s Grocery, when he was hit by a landscape truck at around 7:30 p.m. Easter Sunday.
When officers arrived on the scene, Swartz was lying face-up in a ditch and his motorcycle had been destroyed from the collision. “The motorcycle was in several pieces strewn across the roadway,” an officer wrote in the incident report.
Two witnesses gave statements that helped piece together the chain of events. Swartz was traveling west along Old House Road when the landscape truck turned left onto the road. Both witnesses stated that the truck pulled out in front of Swartz. Swartz then hit a trailer the truck was pulling.
One witness reported that the driver of the truck got out before its other occupants started yelling “go go go” in Spanish.
The driver was identified as Artemo Escalante, 46, also of Ridgeland by tracing his license plate number, which was provided in a written statement to police, according to Lt. Daniel Litchfield.
Escalante was found shortly after the incident and arrested.
Before Swartz’s death, Escalante was charged with failure to yield right of way and driving without a license. Now Escalante faces a charge of leaving the scene with death, which could be escalated further. The Ridgeland Police Department is in talks with the 14th Circuit Solicitor’s Office about further charges, but none have been confirmed at this time.
Family and Friends remember Swartz
Known as “Mullet Man,” a Facebook page dedicated to Swartz named “Mullet Man Updates” was created to help distribute updates to his friends and family.
Memories of Swartz came pouring into the page while Swartz was in the hospital.
“One of my favorite memories was my 22nd birthday weekend. He stayed with me in Hilton head the whole weekend and made it the best birthday I’ve ever had. There was never a dull moment with him,” Jared Scott said.
“This day he called me up randomly and said let’s go to the beach!! I said nah I’m okay don’t really feel like leaving the house.. he said okay and then 20 mins later I hear a knock at the door, it was Tristan. He said get dressed and let’s go! We spent so long on the beach that day and had the time of our lives,” Bethani Edge said sharing a video of her and Tristan on the beach.
On Wednesday at noon there was an Honor Walk for Swartz to honor him for being an organ donor at Savannah Memorial Hospital. PJ’s Coffee, where Swartz worked, closed early on Wednesday to honor him as well.
This story will be updated as more information becomes available.
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