|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
WEST COLUMBIA, S.C. (BFMG) — A 16-year-old girl crashed a 2025 Kia Sportage into the Black Rooster restaurant on Meeting Street late Saturday, injuring two employees and forcing the business to close indefinitely for repairs.
Lexington County Sheriff’s Office deputies began pursuing the SUV around 11 p.m. after spotting it speeding along Sunset Boulevard, according to a police report. The officer activated lights and sirens but could not read the license plate due to the vehicle’s speed according to WIS. The deputy lost sight of the Kia, notified West Columbia police and later called off the chase near Sunset Boulevard and 12th Street — nearly a mile from the restaurant — citing the driver’s high speed and erratic driving.
A West Columbia Police Department report states an officer witnessed the SUV run off the road, strike a tree and slam into the restaurant’s side. No pursuit was underway at the time of the crash, both agencies confirmed.
The teen driver told officers she was speeding to a Columbia bar to stop her boyfriend from going there. She was treated for injuries, charged with reckless driving and failure to stop for blue lights, then released to a guardian.
