ROCK HILL, S.C. (CN2 NEWS) – Authorities say two people were killed after officers tried to initiate a traffic stop on Thursday, February 15 at 10:45 PM.
According to Rock Hill Police, officers attempted to initiate a traffic stop on a Dodge Challenger for defective lights as the vehicle turned left onto Harper Gault Road from Saluda Road. Investigators say the driver of the Challenger accelerated the vehicle and showed no intention of stopping.
Detectives say as they came to the intersection of Harper Gault Road and Oakdale Road, the Challenger was found wrecked in the wood line.
Responders say the passenger, 21-year-old Justin Villanueva of Charlotte, NC, was thrown from the vehicle and pronounced dead at the scene. The driver, 27-year-old Tyland Archer from Kannapolis, NC, was confirmed to be transported to Atrium Health in Charlotte following the crash, and he was later pronounced dead by hospital staff.
Rock Hill Police Officers say the Challenger driven by Archer was listed as a stolen vehicle from another jurisdiction.
The Rock Hill Police and York County Coroner’s Office confirm the incident is still under investigation, and autopsy and toxicology reports are pending.
