South Carolina man killed when hit by SUV, officials say

A South Carolina man was killed on Christmas Eve when he was hit by an SUV, officials said.

Edward Joseph Mackie is the pedestrian who died in the accident, Greenwood County Coroner Sonny Cox said. The 39-year-old Hodges resident suffered blunt force trauma and died at the scene, according to Cox.

The collision happened at about 6:20 p.m. Saturday on S.C. 254/Cokesbury Road, said Master Trooper Brandon Bolt of the South Carolina Highway Patrol.

Mackie was walking on the road when he was hit by a 2009 Jeep Grand Cherokee driving in the same direction, according to Bolt.

Bolt said neither the driver of the SUV nor a passenger were hurt in the crash, and no other injuries were reported.

Information about what caused the collision was not available, but it continues to be investigated by the Highway Patrol and coroner’s office.

Through Dec. 19, at least 1,015 people have died on South Carolina roads in 2022, including 163 pedestrians, according to the state Department of Public Safety. Last year, 1,194 people died in crashes in South Carolina, DPS reported.

At least 12 people have died in Greenwood County crashes in 2022, and two were pedestrians, DPS reported. Last year, 11 deaths were reported in the county, according to DPS data.