Police issue warrants in fatal Boiling Springs hit and run

Rebecca Sitzes, The Shelby Star
·2 min read
Shelby Crump holds a photo of her grandmother, Dot Hyde, who was killed in a hit and run in January. Police are still seeking the driver.
Shelby Crump holds a photo of her grandmother, Dot Hyde, who was killed in a hit and run in January. Police are still seeking the driver.

Seven months after a fatal hit and run in Boiling Springs, law enforcement have made a breakthrough in the case.

Boiling Springs Police Chief Nathan Phillips said a car has been seized and warrants were issued Monday for James Wesley Harris, 32, of Blacksburg, South Carolina, for felony duty to stop in the event of a crash.

On the evening of Jan. 20, Dorothy “Dot” Hyde, 74, was walking back from the Bulldog Quik-Snak to retrieve her car parked at a nearby pharmacy after dining out with friends and family. She was struck and killed near the intersection of North Main Street and Woodland Avenue and police said the driver didn’t stop.

Police are still seeking information on the whereabouts of Harris.

Phillips said law enforcement has had the vehicle in their possession for around a month but wanted to be very thorough in their investigation before issuing the warrants.

“He admitted it to a third party and that information came to us through the Shelby Police Department,” Phillips said.

Video surveillance shows the silver Acura that police say hit and killed Dot Hyde on January 20. Police are still seeking the driver who did not stop.
Video surveillance shows the silver Acura that police say hit and killed Dot Hyde on January 20. Police are still seeking the driver who did not stop.

The car, which was described previously from video surveillance as a four door silver Acura TL, either a 2002 or 2003, was discovered in a tow lot in Gaffney, according to police.

“The tow company purchased the vehicle from somebody,” Phillips said.

He said law enforcement utilized cell phone data, search warrants and partnered with other agencies to track down information that has led to the warrants.

“It was a joint working effort with DMV License and Theft division, Shelby Police and the Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office,” Phillips said. He said Boiling Springs Sgt. Jonathan Gantt was the lead investigator in the case, and he did an excellent job.

Police have notified Hyde’s family, who have been closely involved in the investigation since the beginning. A description of Harris has not yet been released by police.

Reporter Rebecca Sitzes can be reached at rsitzes@gannett.com.

Hyde
Hyde

This article originally appeared on The Shelby Star: Police issue warrants in fatal Boiling Springs hit and run