Winthrop freshman killed in weekend car crash

The Winthrop University community mourned Monday the passing of one of its “best and brightest” students.

Caleb Whiteleather, a freshman business student from Bluffton, died in a car wreck Friday nigh on S.C. 462 near Ridgeland. He was 18.

In an email to students and faculty, Winthrop’s Vice President for Student Life Frank Ardaiolo said Whiteleather had made many friends in his residence hall and on campus in just his first semester.

“His mother told me he loved everything about Winthrop and was so happy he chose to come to Winthrop,” said Ardaiolo. “He completed his first semester with a 4.0 grade point average. Caleb was truly among our best and brightest who enriched our campus just within the short time he was with us.”

The Island Packet newspaper of Hilton Head reported that a 27-year-old Ridgeland man faces felony charges of drunken driving and leaving the scene of an accident in connection with the crash, which killed Whiteleather and left two others injured.

Christopher Lenning faces charges of felony DUI resulting in death, leaving the scene of an accident and two counts of leaving the scene of an accident resulting in injuries, South Carolina Highway Patrol Lance Cpl. Matt Southern said Monday morning.

Lenning was driving a pickup truck that crossed the center line and struck Whiteleather’s car head-on, according to South Carolina Highway Patrol Cpl. Sonny Collins.

Whiteleather died at the scene from his injuries, Jasper County Coroner Martin Sauls III said.

Two adult male passengers in Lenning’s truck, ages 25 and 44, suffered incapacitating injuries and were taken to an area hospital, Southern said. Lenning sustained non-incapacitating injuries and fled the scene.

The crash is was still under investigation Monday by highway patrol’s Multidisciplinary Accident Investigation Team, Southern said.

This story was originally published January 9, 2017 at 1:50 PM with the headline "Winthrop freshman killed in weekend car crash."