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Richland County deputies said a woman identified as Tierra Hamer died after she drove into the Broad River while deputies were chasing her.
Officers said around 1 p.m. Wednesday they were called to 1630 Longcreek Drive, which is near Broad River Road, for a call of a domestic situation.
The person who called deputies said that a female suspect had just struck him with her car and was trying to do it again.
Deputies said when they got to the scene, the suspect started driving away. Deputies said they pursued Tierra Hamer and that she drove through the dead end of Omarest Drive and into the waters of the Broad River.
Richland County deputies said they got out of their vehicles and went into the water to find Tierra Hamer.
Additional officers as well as a dive team, emergency services, firefighters, and the Department of Natural Resources all joined the search.
About an hour and a half after the car went into the water, deputies said the dive team found the driver submerged under the water.
Deputies said they attempted to office medical treatment to Tierra Hamer but she died at the scene.
“Our hearts are heavy with this loss of life and we will continue to support the family, as well as our deputies,” the sheriff’s department said in a statement.
Deborah Starks Good lives just feet from the end of Omarest Drive and says while this incident is unique, she wants the sheriff’s department to increase their patrols.
“If the Sheriff’s department would come and check a lot, I think it would get better. But they don’t come unless we call. That’s when we hear a lot of racket going on back there like the shooting at night and the partying and stuff. Then we call, because we can’t sleep with all that noise going on,” Good said.
Shortly after 6:00 p.m. Wednesday crews removed the woman’s car from the river.
The incident remains under investigation.
