Three USC Students Died in Car Crash

A fiery crash took the lives of three University of South Carolina students and one other person Wednesday morning.

Richland County Coroner Gary Watts identified the victims as Billings S. Fuess, 22, Kelsey C. Harris, 23, Brian M. McGrath, 22, and Melinda S. Pipp, 24. 

Fuess, from Connecticut, was a former psychology major at USC who was last enrolled in the fall of 2010, university officials said. Both Harris and McGrath were enrolled at the college. Harris, from Kentucky, was an economics major and McGrath, also from Connecticut, was a history major. 

Pipp was from Wisconsin. 

Wednesday was Harris' 23rd birthday, Watts said.

The four died after the car they were in crashed into the Farm Bureau Insurance Building around 5 a.m. Wednesday at the intersection of Shop Road and George Rogers Boulevard near Williams Brice Stadium. 

Autopsies show that the victims were dead before the car caught on fire, Watts said.

USC President Harris Pastides posted a message on the university's website Thursday. 

"Losing a young life is the most painful experience, and yesterday four vibrant spirits were lost," Pastides said in the statement. "Please keep their surviving family and friends in your thoughts and prayers."

Watts said McGrath was driving the vehicle, with Fuess in the front seat beside him. The two had been best friends since high school, Watts said.

Harris and Pipp were in the back seat, Watts said.

The four left The Wild Hare Sports Cafe — where Pipp was an employee — after midnight, Watts said. They were later seen leaving another nightspot called Uncle Fester’s sometime after 3:30 a.m. 

Watts said a toxicology report will be completed in a couple of weeks. The Columbia Police Department is investigating the incident.