A Columbia-area man fell into an open manhole. Now he’s suing the city and South Carolina

A Richland County man, Zachary Capell, says he fell into an open manhole two years ago and suffered physical injuries because of it.

Capell believes the city of Columbia and the South Carolina Department of Transportation are at fault, and he hopes a jury will agree, according to a lawsuit filed Dec. 30.

Capell’s attorneys, Paige and Barry George, filed the claim against the city and the state transportation department alleging that both entities were negligent in their repairs of the roadway.

The complaint alleges both the city and the transportation department failed to maintain or repair the roadway and that they failed to warn Capell or others about the unsafe conditions.

Capell fell into the manhole on Beatty Road, which is near St. Andrews, in January 2021. He allegedly has medical expenses because of the incident.

The suit does not ask for specific damages but seeks a jury trial to determine if Capell is entitled damages and how much he should receive.