Coroner identifies victim in Pelion head-on crash

The Lexington County Coroner’s Office has identified a Leesville woman as the victim who lost her life in a head-on crash outside Pelion on Tuesday, Oct. 13.

Lexington County Coroner Margaret Fisher has positively identified the decedent as Hillary Rain Rish, 35, of Leesville.

Fisher said in a news release that Rish was driving west on Fairview Road when a car traveling east struck her vehicle head-on. The wreck happened around 7:17 a.m. on the 1700 block of Fairview Road/U.S. Highway 178.

Rish was not wearing a seat belt and was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the coroner’s office.

The other vehicle’s two occupants were taken to an area hospital with serious injuries.

Oct. 11 fatality

Authorities also identified a Columbia teenager as the victim in a fatal single-car wreck that occurred Sunday, Oct. 11, on U.S. 321 north of Gaston.

Lexington County Coroner Margaret Fisher identified that person as 18-year-old Fidel Gongora Martinez of Columbia, the coroner’s office said in a news release.

Fisher said Gongora Martinez was traveling northbound on U.S. 321 when his car left the road and overturned around 2:50 a.m.

Gongora Martinez, who was not wearing a seat belt, was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the coroner’s office.

The Lexington County Coroner’s Office and the South Carolina Highway Patrol are still investigating the Oct. 13 and Oct. 11 crashes.