Richland County Coroner Gary Watts has releasd the names of two individuals who died on Thursday. The South Carolina Highway Patrol, Columbia/Richland Fire, and EMS responded to I-26 westbound at mile marker 99 just after midnight in reference to a motor vehicle collision.

Nicholas Vulpi, 20 of Chapin, S.C. was traveling westbound on I-26 when he lost control and struck the wire median.

While inspecting the damage to the vehicle, Mr. Vulpi and a good Samaritan, Theodore Ntahonsigaye, date of birth, 50, of Canada stopped to assist and were both hit by an oncoming vehicle. Both men were pronounced dead at the scene. An autopsy revealed that Mr. Vulpi died as a result of blunt force trauma to the head and chest. Mr. Ntahonsigaye died as a result of blunt force trauma to the neck and chest.

The Richland County Coroner’s Office and the S.C. Highway Patrol continue to investigate this incident.