4-year-old walking with siblings killed in crash, SC coroner says

A South Carolina 4-year-old was killed Sunday when hit by an SUV while walking across a road, the Aiken County Coroner’s Office said.

Zaviaion Stewart died at the scene, Coroner Darryl Ables said.

The collision happened at about 11:45 a.m. on U.S. 1/Columbia Highway near the intersection with Academy Road, according to Lance Cpl. Nick Pye of the South Carolina Highway Patrol. That’s in Monetta, about half a mile from the Big Mo drive-in theater.

The child was a Monetta resident, according to Ables.

Zaviaion was walking home with siblings when the child tried to cross U.S. 1 and was hit by a 2016 Chevrolet SUV that was driving north on the road, Ables said.

An autopsy is scheduled in Newberry this week, according to Ables.

Neither the Chevy driver nor a passenger were hurt in the crash, Pye said. No other injuries were reported.

The crash continues to be investigated by the Highway Patrol and coroner’s office.

Through Nov. 27, at least 957 people have died on South Carolina roads in 2022, including 143 pedestrians, according to the state Department of Public Safety. Last year, 1,194 people died in crashes in South Carolina, DPS reported.

At least 28 people have died in Aiken County crashes in 2022, DPS reported. Last year, 36 deaths were reported there, according to DPS data.