Man pleads guilty in hit-and-run case that killed teacher

COVERING THE AREA AGAIN. CHRIS, THANKS. ONLY ON WYFF NEWS FOR A SENSE OF CLOSURE AFTER THE TRAGIC DEATH OF AN UPSTATE TEACHER IN 2021. A MOTORIST HIT AND KILLED KARLI BREWER SUKUP AS SHE WAS RIDING HER BIKE ON THE SWAMP RABBIT TRAIL. TODAY HER KILLER PLEADES GUILTY. OUR NATE STANLEY EXCLUSIVELY SPEAKS WITH THE LAWYER ABOUT THE ACCUSED MAN AND THE DETAILS OF HIS SENTENCE. NATE. CARROLL MONTAVIOUS MCMORRIS, THE MAN ACCUSED IN COURT FOR CARLIE'S DEATH, WAS SENTENCED TODAY TO A 23-YEAR CRIME FOR THREE SEPARATE CHARGES INCLUDING NEGLIGENT MANSLAUGHTER, LEAVING A DEADLY VICTIMS AND REPEAT TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS. THE DISTRICT'S OFFICE HOPES THIS WILL BE A WAKE-UP CALL FOR DRIVERS AROUND THE STATE TO DRIVE CAREFULLY AND BE ATTENTIVE. WE ARE VERY PLEASED WITH THE SENTENCE. IT CERTAINLY FIT THE PARTICULAR CRIME AND ESPECIALLY THE INTENDED COVER-UP BY THE DEFENDANT. A SENSE OF ACCOMPLISHMENT FOR 13TH DISTRICT PROSECUTOR WALT WILKINS AS KARLI BREWER SUCCOP'S KILLER Pleaded GUILTY TO ALL THREE COUNTS ON MONDAY, JUNE 2021. KARLI WAS RIDING HER BIKE ON THE SWAMP RABBIT TRAIL WHEN SHE WAS HIT BY MONTAVIOUS MCMORRIS ON A PEDESTRIAN CROSSING ON SULFUR SPRINGS ROAD IN BEREA DURING A VIGILT EARLIER THIS YEAR. CARLIE'S HUSBAND REMEMBERED THE LOCAL TEACHER AS A LOVING WOMAN. MANY PEOPLE LOVED HER. SHE LOVED MANY PEOPLE AND WILL BE DEARLY MISSED. MCMORRIS WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AT A HIGH SPEED AND DISMISSED A RED LIGHT WHEN HE HIT AND KILLED CARLIE. HE NEVER STOPPED TO ASSIST AND ACCORDING TO WILKINS WAS TRYING TO DESTROY EVIDENCE. UNFORTUNATELY, IN THIS SITUATION WE HAVE A LOVED ONE WHO WAS PASSED FOR THE DAY. SO IT'S A TRAGEDY. WHAT WE CAN TRY TO DO IS TO HOLD THIS PERSON ACCOUNTABLE, TRY TO GIVE THE FAMILY SOME COMFORT AND PEACE AND CLOSURE. I KNOW THIS PERSON HAS BEEN HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR HIS NEGLIGENT AND HORRIBLE ACTIONS. AT LEAST 85% OF THE 23 YEAR SENTENCE MUST BE SERVED BEFORE MCMORRIS CAN BE RELEASED ON PAROLE. WILKINS HOPES DRIVERS IN THE UPSTATE ARE REMINDED OF THE IMPORTANCE OF SAFE DRIVING. IN THIS CASE HE WAS EXTREMELY NEGLIGENT BECAUSE HE WAS DRIVING FAST AND RUNNING RED LIGHTS. THEY ARE THERE FOR A REASON. THEY ARE THERE FOR YOUR SAFETY. I KNOW PEOPLE ARE BUSY AND LATE TO MEET AND SUCH. IT'S NOT WORTH IT. DRIVE SLOWLY. THEY WILL BE WAITING WHEREVER THEY GO. WILKINS SAYS MCMORRIS WILL NOW GO TO A SOUTH CAROLINA PRISON FACILITY WHERE HE WILL BE ASSIGNED TO HIS PRISON TERMS

Man charged with hit-and-run causing death in Greenville, South Carolina; teacher pleads guilty, officials say

Updated: 12:53 EDT, August 20, 2024

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On the day his trial was scheduled to begin, a man charged with hit-and-run causing the death of a Greenville County teacher pleaded guilty Monday, court officials said. Mantavious McMorris, 43, pleaded guilty to hit-and-run causing death in connection with the June 2021 death of 33-year-old Carli Brewer Soukup of Taylors. Soukup taught fifth grade at Mitchell Road Elementary School. Soukup was biking with her husband on Swamp Rabbit Trail when McMorris' Chevy Silverado pickup truck ran a red light on Sulphur Springs Road and struck Soukup in the crosswalk. Prosecutors said McMorris drove to a family member's home in Lyman immediately after the crash and asked his mother, the registered owner of the truck, to report it stolen. Prosecutors said McMorris also tried to camouflage his truck by removing certain parts that were later found at his family member's home in Lyman. They said the truck was later found burned after McMorris turned himself in. According to the documents, McMorris was sentenced to 23 years in prison and fined $10,000. He also received credit for 1,161 days of time served. Read more about the award Mitchell Road Elementary School created in memory of Carli Brewer Soukup here.

GREENVILLE, SC —

A man charged with a hit-and-run crash that killed a Greenville County teacher pleaded guilty Monday on the same day his trial was scheduled to begin, court officials said.

Mantavious McMorris, 43, pleaded guilty to hit-and-run resulting in death in connection with the death of 33-year-old Carli Brewer Soukup of Taylors in June 2021.

Soukup taught fifth grade at Mitchell Road Elementary School.

Soukup was biking with her husband on the Swamp Rabbit Trail when McMorris' Chevy Silverado pickup ran a red light on Sulphur Springs Road and struck Soukup in the crosswalk.

Prosecutors said McMorris drove to a family member's home in Lyman immediately after the accident and asked his mother, the registered owner of the truck, to report it stolen.

Prosecutors said McMorris also tried to disguise his truck by removing certain parts that were later found at a family member's home in Lyman. They said the truck was later found burned after McMorris turned himself in.

According to the documents, McMorris was sentenced to 23 years in prison and fined $10,000, and was given credit for 1,161 days of his sentence.

Read more about the award created by Mitchell Road Elementary School in memory of Carli Brewer Soukup here.