You step into a story that began as a snowy night of innocent fun and quickly turned into a criminal case that still raises urgent questions. Two women were seriously injured after a pickup truck allegedly struck them during a sledding outing, and the driver — reportedly the fiancée of one victim — now faces felony DUI and hit-and-run charges.
The piece breaks down what happened on the road, who was involved, and how authorities responded, so you can understand the facts behind the headlines. It also looks at the legal stakes the accused faces and what investigators are still trying to clarify, offering the context needed to follow the case as it unfolds.
Incident Overview and Key Events
Two women were struck during a sledding outing when a pickup truck ran them over and left the scene. Law enforcement later identified a suspect and opened a criminal investigation into the collision and the immediate aftermath.
Winter Sledding Outing Turns Tragic
The incident occurred on Jan. 31 near a neighborhood hill where families had gathered to sled. A 2022 Ram pickup truck drove onto the slope and struck two people: a woman believed to be the driver’s fiancée and her daughter. Reports indicate the younger victim suffered serious injuries; deputies later described the mother’s wounds as potentially constituting great bodily injury.
Beaufort County deputies responded to the scene after callers reported the collision. The local paper, The Island Packet, cited an indictment report linking the vehicle and the relationship between the parties. Law enforcement logged the event in the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office incident report and began collecting physical evidence and witness statements.
What Witnesses Saw During the Collision
Bystanders told investigators the pickup moved onto the sledding area at an angle consistent with intentional contact rather than a loss-of-control accident. Witness statements reported seeing the truck’s tires pass over both victims and then continue down the road. A WJCL report summarized several witness accounts that described a chaotic scene with people attempting first aid before emergency crews arrived.
Witness testimony also helped identify the vehicle as a 2022 Ram pickup truck and connected it to a man named Richard Quinn Davidson in later charging documents. Deputies noted the consistency of several independent eyewitness descriptions when preparing the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office incident report.
Hit-and-Run and Immediate Aftermath
After the collision, the driver did not remain at the scene, creating a hit-and-run investigation. Neighbors and witnesses gave license plate details and a vehicle description to deputies, which expedited a search for the truck. The Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office coordinated with the South Carolina Highway Patrol to track the vehicle and confirm ownership records.
Charges and an indictment followed once investigators linked the truck and suspect through physical evidence and witness identification. Local media coverage, including reporting by The Island Packet and WJCL, provided ongoing updates as law enforcement compiled statements and forensic details for the case.
Legal Consequences and Ongoing Investigation
The defendant faces criminal charges tied to the January 31 incident and is currently processed through the local detention and court system. Victim injuries and bond actions shape the immediate legal path forward.
Felony DUI and Indictment Report
Prosecutors charged the 46-year-old driver with two counts of felony driving under the influence resulting in great bodily injury and two counts of hit-and-run involving great bodily injury. The charges stem from an indictment report that cites eyewitness accounts and the sequence of events: two women were towed on a plastic container lid, left in the roadway when a vehicle turned, then struck by a 2022 Ram pickup truck.
The indictment report notes that the driver fled the scene before emergency responders arrived. Those felony DUI charges carry significant prison exposure if convicted because they allege intoxication plus serious physical harm to victims.
Injuries Sustained by Victims
The two victims are a 47-year-old mother and her 20-year-old daughter. Medical records and the Beaufort County incident report list a fractured skull, punctured lung, broken ribs, multiple broken vertebrae, and a dislocated shoulder among their injuries.
Officials described the injuries as non-life-threatening, but the combination of trauma—particularly skull fracture and punctured lung—requires prolonged hospital care and possible surgeries. Those documented injuries form a central element of the prosecution’s case for “great bodily injury” enhancements in the charges.
Bond, Detainment, and Legal Procedures
After arrest, the defendant was processed through the Beaufort County Detention Center and released on personal recognizance bonds totaling $60,000. Posting personal recognizance means the court allowed release without full cash bail but with bond conditions and required court appearances.
The case will proceed through arraignment and pretrial motions; prosecutors will review medical reports, witness statements, and any available toxicology or field sobriety evidence. If the prosecution seeks enhanced penalties, they will use the indictment report and documented victim injuries to support felony-level sentencing.
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