Sophomore from Raleigh in critical condition after hit-and-run, Ole Miss officials say

A University of Mississippi sophomore from Raleigh is in critical condition after she was struck during a hit-and-run crash, school officials say.

Blanche Williamson and Walker Fielder were hit by a car in a parking lot behind city hall in Oxford around 1 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 16, according to the Oxford Police Department and University of Mississippi officials. Once police arrived, both Fielder and Williamson were taken to Baptist Memorial Hospital North Mississippi.

Williamson, a sophomore at Ole Miss from Raleigh, remains in critical condition, according to police. She was transferred to Regional One Medical Center in Memphis, Tennessee.

“Please pray that Blanche continues to heal and recovers fully. She needs our support, love, and care,” the university’s chancellor, Glenn Boyce, wrote in a schoolwide message Monday, Oct. 17.

Fielder died as a result of his injuries, police say. He was 21, the Oxford Eagle reported.

A junior at Ole Miss from Madison, Mississippi, Fielder was a member of the school’s Sigma Chi fraternity and was “a widely liked member” of the school’s community, Boyce said in his message.

By Sunday night, police said they had identified two suspects involved in the incident. The first was arrested Sunday. The second was arrested early Monday, according to police.

Police say they also located the wrecked vehicle involved in the incident.

The university is offering support services to students, according to the chancellor’s message.

“It is a painful and distressing development for our campus community, and it is understandable that emotions are high with many unanswered questions about what happened,” Boyce wrote.

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