A 31-year-old Spartanburg man, Willie Gist, died Wednesday, May 6, following a high-speed chase with Polk County deputies that ended in a fatal crash on Hunting Country Rd. in Tryon.
The Pursuit
The incident began around 1:30 p.m. when a Polk County deputy attempted to stop Gist’s vehicle on Landrum Road in Columbus. According to authorities, Gist fled the scene, leading officers on a brief pursuit through the city of Landrum and onto Hunting Country Rd.
During the chase, Gist lost control of his vehicle while navigating a turn near the 5000 block of Hunting Country Rd. The car ran off the road, went down an embankment, and Gist was ejected from the vehicle. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Investigation and Road Closure
Due to the crash and the heavy presence of law enforcement and emergency responders, a portion of Hunting Country Rd. was temporarily closed while the North Carolina Highway Patrol conducted an investigation.
Troopers later confirmed that the road was reopened a few hours later after officials completed the scene cleanup. The incident is under investigation by the North Carolina Highway Patrol.
