Pedestrian killed in crash with sheriff’s deputy, SC coroner says

A pedestrian was killed Friday in a crash involving a sheriff’s deputy on a busy Midlands road, the Sumter County Coroner’s Office said.

Janet Wilson was trying to walk across the street when she and an SUV driven by a deputy collided, Coroner Robbie Baker said.

The 63-year-old Sumter resident was taken to Prisma Health Tuomey hospital where she died, according to Baker.

The Sumter County Sheriff’s Office confirmed a deputy was involved in a fatal collision, but said it would not release any more information at this time.

At about 2 p.m., Wilson tried to cross U.S. 15 near the intersection with Truman Street, said Master Trooper David Jones of South Carolina Highway Patrol. That’s near Manning Avenue, about 3 miles east of Sumter High School.

As Wilson stepped out of the median she hit the side of a westbound 2018 Ford Explorer, according to Jones.

The deputy was wearing a seat belt and was not hurt, Jones said. No other injuries were reported.

The collision is being investigated by Highway Patrol and the coroner’s office. An autopsy is scheduled for Monday at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston.

There was no word on if the deputy was placed on leave or otherwise removed from duty during the investigation.

Through Friday afternoon, 788 people had died on South Carolina roads in 2021, including 113 pedestrians, state Department of Public Safety data shows.

There have been at least 27 people killed in Sumter County crashes in 2021, and three were pedestrians, according to DPS data.