Woman killed in crash near downtown Columbia identified by Richland County coroner

A woman was killed in a crash Tuesday as she was driving toward downtown Columbia, police said.

Courtney R. Parker, a 24-year-old Columbia resident, died following the crash, Richland County Coroner Naida Rutherford said Wednesday.

Two children also were involved in the single-vehicle collision and taken to an area hospital in Richland County, according to the Columbia Police Department. The children were properly restrained and were unharmed, police said.

The wreck happened on S.C. 277/Bull Street, according to police. That’s near the Earlewood area, between Interstate 20 and downtown Columbia.

Information about the cause of the crash was not available, but is being investigated by the police department’s traffic safety unit.

Along with the children, Parker was taken to the hospital where she died.

There was no word if she wore a seat belt.

No other injuries were reported in the collision that temporarily caused police to redirect other drivers on a detour to Sunset Drive.

Through Sunday, 605 people had died on South Carolina roads in 2022, according to the state Department of Public Safety. Last year, 1,194 people died in crashes in South Carolina, DPS reported.

At least 39 people have been killed in Richland County crashes in 2022, according to DPS. There were 73 deaths there last year, DPS data show.

This is a developing story, check back for updates.