Dash Cam footage shows moments leading up to deadly crash in Kershaw County

KERSHAW COUNTY, S.C. (WIS) - New details are emerging in the investigation of a high-speed chase in Kershaw County that ended in the death of a 17-year-old girl.

Investigators say Laila Houser led deputies on a high-speed chase on Richardson Blvd in Lugoff Sunday night.

According to an incident report, deputies attempted to pull over Houser after seeing her car parked at the dollar general, the store has been a target for recent break-ins. WIS’ Ashley Jones spoke with the Sheriff about the moments leading up to her death.

This dash cam footage from the Kershaw County Sheriff’s Department shows the moments deputies initiated a high-speed chase behind 17-year-old Laila Houser after deputies saw a Toyota Camry parked at the dollar general at 1 a.m.

The camera captured Houser backing her white Toyota Camry into a curb before pulling out of the Dollar General parking lot. A deputy then turns around and the chase begins.

“Had she pulled over where she left the road at, we would not have even charged her for failure to stop for blue lights,” said Sheriff Lee Boan with the Kershaw County Sheriff’s Office.

The sheriff said the chase went on for a little over a mile before Houser lost control while making a left turn onto Richardson Blvd. Her car went airborne before crashing into a tree.

Sheriff Boan says the department is still investigating why Laila was parked at the store.

Investigators have canceled out drug use and are looking into the possibility that the teen was just hanging out.

Sheriff Boan says, “I’ve seen some comments about parenting, and this is not the case. This is a case of mom and dad are divorced. Dad thought she was with mom. Mom thought she was with dad. Neither one of them thought she was out on the road that night. Kids are kids. We’ve all been 17 once. We’ve all done the same stuff we would sneak out of the house...This is not a parenting issue.”

As far as protocols Boan says the deputy was within his rights to pursue a chase.

He said, “Now if this exact same situation took place let’s say 3 o clock in the afternoon, and the school was getting out on highway 1 the chase would’ve been called off. But because it’s 1 o clock in the morning nobody is on the road. The road’s dry, and it’s in good condition. You’re not endangering anybody by chasing. You may chase a bit longer before you make the decision if you want to continue driving or not.”

The deputy involved in the chase is not on leave and is receiving counseling. Funeral arrangements have been made. A celebration of life is scheduled for Thursday at 3 P. M. at Antioch Baptist Church.

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