Woman charged in hit-and-run death of 4-year-old who was riding his bicycle

VARNVILLE, S.C. (WSAV) – Varnville Police have arrested a 30-year-old woman in connection with a deadly hit-and-run last weekend.

Jennifer Miller was booked into Hampton County Jail by investigators Thursday.

Miller faces one charge of hit-and-run accident resulting in death, a felony, and one charge of hit-and-run accident resulting in injury, a misdemeanor.

Four-year-old Ja’Karie Breland was riding his bike with his dog and his uncle Saturday evening when they were hit by a passing car. That driver left the scene.

The dog died at the scene and Ja’Karie passed away Sunday morning at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston.

His uncle, Delante Chisholm suffered only minor injuries in the crash.

Varnville Police tell News 3 they used cameras at a local convenience store to help locate the car involved. The officers saw Miller’s car come into the parking lot there just before the crash.

Investigators initially talked to Miller inside her home where she agreed to come to the police station. Chief Tyrone Smith tells News 3 she never showed up.

Later, an officer stopped Miller on Main Street for another traffic violation and was able to bring her to the Varnville Police Department for questioning.

The State Law Enforcement Division and Varnville Police did a full investigation of the car at a local body shop, where enough evidence was obtained to charge Miller.

Police say Miller was driving with a suspended license for failing to pay traffic citations at the time of the crash.