A Hattiesburg man was behind bars Tuesday and charged with fleeing an accident in Columbia Monday evening.
Tor Wastvedt, 38, faces charges of DUI - first offense, DUI – child endangerment, leaving the scene of an accident involving injuries and no proof of liability insurance, according to Columbia police. He was booked into the Marion County Jail early Tuesday morning and has bonds totaling $4,200.
The Columbia Police Department was dispatched to an accident at the corner of Industrial Park Drive and the Mississippi 35 bypass at around 7:50 p.m.
Officers arrived on the scene and found a red truck with debris scattered around it and a black SUV in the ditch. According to the report, Wastvedt struck a vehicle driven by Yolanda Agoglia of Columbia, who had two children with her.
Agoglia told police that she swerved to miss the vehicle. She and her passengers suffered minor injuries including cuts and bruises, according to the report. None of the occupants of the vehicle were transported to the hospital.
As officers arrived on the scene, they noticed that Wastvedt’s vehicle was empty and that there was no sign of him or a juvenile passenger.
“Officer Jeremy Sellers then located the driver’s cellphone and we were able to identify who was driving it,” CPD Capt. Johnny Barnes said. “Officers reported that they were told Wastvedt had left a football game in Prentiss and had driven to Columbia.”
Marion County Sheriff’s Office deputies assisted at the scene, and soon it was determined that Wastvedt and a 7-year-old passenger had left the scene. Deputy John Herrington made a traffic stop on a nearby road.
“He was stopped not far from the scene, before he made it to Highway 35,” Barnes said. “He was picked up by a passerby. His juvenile passenger was with him.”
According to Marion County Jail records, Wastvedt was booked in at 2:34 a.m. Tuesday. Barnes explained the delay.
“He was taken to Marion General Hospital to be checked for a leg injury,” he said. “He was transported to the Marion County Jail after he was released from being treated. He was given his citations and charged while he was at the hospital.”
The Columbia Fire Department and AAA Ambulance Service worked the scene along with officers and deputies. Debris was quickly cleared, but one lane of Mississippi 35 was closed for about 40 minutes as the investigation continued. Firefighters cleared the scene shortly before 9 p.m.
Wastvedt remained in the Marion County Jail as of deadline Tuesday.
