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A second passenger involved in a high-speed crash following a police chase in Aiken County has died, authorities confirmed.
Syntavion Priester, 21, of Williston, succumbed to his injuries on Tuesday afternoon, more than a week after the fiery collision on May 15. He was the older brother of Jaquavis Baptiste, a 16-year-old front-seat passenger who died at the scene that night.
According to Aiken County Coroner Darryl Ables, Priester was pronounced dead at 12:34 p.m. from injuries sustained during the crash. He had been riding in the rear seat of a 2014 Ford Fusion when it collided with another vehicle.
The incident began around 8:40 p.m. when a deputy from the Aiken County Sheriff’s Office attempted a traffic stop near the intersection of Sheraton Drive and Atomic Road. The Fusion had been clocked going 72 mph in a 55 mph zone.
Initially, the vehicle pulled over to the shoulder. However, the situation escalated when the deputy learned the driver was unlicensed and asked for the car keys. Instead of complying, the driver fled the scene, prompting a pursuit.
Deputies briefly chased the vehicle but lost visual contact and terminated the pursuit near Old Jackson Highway.
Moments later, the Ford Fusion ran a red light near the Kimberly-Clark plant and collided with a 2021 Chevrolet Suburban. By the time deputies arrived, the Fusion was engulfed in flames.
A female passenger managed to escape and fled the scene on foot but was quickly apprehended. Inside the vehicle, three male passengers were trapped. Deputies and emergency responders worked to extract them from the burning wreckage.
Multiple firearms were recovered from the car. According to authorities, Priester had previously pleaded guilty to stealing weapons from vehicles in Columbia County, spending nine months in prison before his release in September 2024. Two months later, he was arrested in Aiken County in 2024 while in possession of a stolen firearm and riding with minors.
The driver of the Fusion has not been publicly identified. Several other passengers were transported to the hospital with injuries, though their current conditions have not been disclosed.
The investigation is ongoing and is being led by the Aiken County Sheriff’s Office, South Carolina Highway Patrol, and the Multi-disciplinary Accident Investigation Team (MAIT).
Note: If you have a better photo of Syntavion Priester to share, please text it to 803-487-3224.
The post Second Passenger Dies After Fiery Aiken County Crash appeared first on AugustaCrime.com.
