Tristan Holland: Oxford man involved in hit-and-run that killed 21-year-old Ole Miss student arrested
OXFORD, MISSISSIPPI: One of the suspects in connection with a hit-and-run accident, in which an Ole Miss student died and a female student was injured, has been taken into custody. The Oxford Police Department revealed the identity of the two suspects who were behind the accident that happened on Sunday, October 16.
The police statement read, "We have identified the suspects as Seth Rokitka and Tristan Holland, both of Collierville, TN. Moments ago in Shelby County, Tennessee, Holland was taken into custody for accessory after the fact and will face extradition back to Oxford," as per Oxford Eagle.
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Investigators released pictures of Holland and Rokitka from CCTV footage on the day of the accident. As reported by FOX13, Ole Miss sophomore student Robert Tilotta confirmed seeing one of the suspects on Saturday, October 15, at Rafters, a local bar. "He was in Rafters earlier, probably like 7:00. He was trying to fight my friend and his dad who was visiting him," he stated. Tilotta said that the man was wearing a red shirt and got thrown out of the bar for causing trouble.
Police are still searching for Rokitka who is on the run at the moment. They have disclosed the details of the vehicle Seth was driving while fleeing and are actively asking for help from the locals to locate the suspect. "We are working actively with local, state, and federal officials to bring Rokitka into custody. He is driving a Toyota Tundra with Tennessee license plate number 0J76U6. If anyone has information on his location they are to contact the Oxford Police Department at 662-232-2400 or CrimeStoppers at 662-234-8799," the statement read.
Walker Allen Fielder of Madison sustained severe injuries in the parking lot behind City Hall around 1 am after a call was received about the injured victims. The 21-year-old was a member of Sigma Chi Fraternity and was pursuing a BBA in Finance. The student was pronounced dead at the Baptist Memorial Hospital in North Mississippi. Fielder was accompanied by a woman who received serious injuries and was taken to Regional One Medical Center in Memphis. She has not been publicly identified yet.
Dean Ben Marsh spoke about the unfortunate incident on the same day. "We received the heartbreaking news that one of our students was killed early this morning, and another was seriously injured after they were hit by a vehicle driving near the Square. We have been in touch with the families to offer our condolences and our support. I ask the community to join us in mourning the tragic loss of a life taken too soon, and we hope and pray that our injured student recovers fully from her injuries," he said.
Oxford Mayor Robyn Tannehill assured the public, both as a mother and a mayor, on Sunday evening on her Facebook page. "I cannot let the sun go down on this terrible day without making a statement regarding the tragic event that happened in our community early this morning. As this is an ongoing investigation, information may not be as readily available as some would hope, but I promise you that these families and finding justice for these students are our top priorities and the case will be handled with as much compassion as possible for those involved. I am proud of the Oxford Police Department and their dedication to these families and to getting answers. They are ultimate professionals and I am honored to work with them," the post read.
"I am writing to you tonight as a Mother with a broken heart for these families, for their precious friends, for their sorority sisters and fraternity brothers, for their hometowns, and for our community as we all weather another terrible storm," she further wrote.