Bond set on Carolina Forest hit and run suspect

The South Carolina Highway Patrol charged 54-year-old John J. Lomas of Myrtle Beach with two counts of hit and run after a Maryland man died late Saturday night.

Monday, a county magistrate set Lomas’ bond at $30,000.

Lomas faces one count of hit and run involving death and one count of hit and run with minor personal injury after Troopers said he returned to the scene of the accident four hours later to inform investigators he was involved, but left the scene because he “panicked,“ according to the arrest warrant.

New York authorities charged Lomas with operating a vehicle while impaired with alcohol in 1984, according to 15th Circuit assistant solicitor, Sam Graves.

Lomas was driving a 2004 Dodge Neon the night of the accident, according to the Highway Patrol.

Troopers found Lomas’ car in his driveway with heavy front-end damage and damage to the windshield, according to the report.

Horry County coroner Robert Edge identified the victim as 20-year-old Timothy Joseph Koleszar of Eldersburg, Maryland.

Edge said Koleszar and a friend were walking along Carolina Forest Boulevard when the pair was hit by a car.

Medics took Koleszar to the Conway Regional Medical Center where he was pronounced dead, according to Edge.

Koleszar died from internal injuries Edge said the autopsy showed.

The second victim, Brian Thompson, was treated and released form the Grand Strand Regional Medical Center for minor injuries, according to Edge.

Troopers don’t think alcohol was involved in the accident.

Both victims were in Myrtle Beach with the Thompson’s father, according to the Highway Patrol.

All were from the same area of Maryland, Edge said.

Authorities booked Lomas into the J. Reuben Long Detention Center just after 4 a.m. Sunday.

Lomas remained jailed as of this posting.