Sumter High School Alum Xavier “Spud” Knight, 25, Killed in CSX Train Incident Near Manning, South Carolina
The Sumter, South Carolina community is grieving following the death of Xavier Knight, a young man affectionately known as “Spud” by those closest to him.
Knight, who worked at Ralph Lauren and attended Sumter High School, was confirmed dead after being struck by a CSX train in Clarendon County on Sunday afternoon, May 31, 2026. He was 25 years old.
According to Clarendon County Fire Rescue, the incident took place near Ramsal and June Burn roads at approximately 4:15 in the afternoon. Emergency responders arrived to find Knight dead on the tracks from injuries sustained in the collision.
CSX temporarily halted train traffic in the area during the response and investigation. No other individuals were injured, and the train remained at the scene until authorities and CSX officials cleared it.
News outlet WLTX reported the story that evening, noting that the victim’s name had not yet been officially released by authorities at the time of publication.
Word of Knight’s passing spread quickly through his social circle, with family member Erica Aries Dinkins sharing the news on Facebook just hours after the incident.
Her post, which was met with an outpouring of condolences from friends and relatives, asked the public for patience and understanding as the family worked through the initial shock of the loss.
“We are saddened to announce the passing of Xavier Knight, also affectionately known as Spud,” Dinkins wrote in her post.
She acknowledged the wave of calls, texts, and messages flooding in and reassured followers that details regarding visitation and other arrangements would be shared once the family had time to process everything.
Knight had built a meaningful presence in his community. His Facebook profile, which carried the motto “Every Dollar Counts,” reflected a young man with ambition and purpose.
He was a father, as indicated by the mention of his daughter Aria Sofia Knight in his bio, and someone whose warmth clearly left a mark on the people around him.
With over 5,000 followers, his reach in the community was evident, and the response to the news of his death confirmed just how many lives he had touched.
The comments beneath Dinkins’ post painted a picture of a man who was deeply loved. Friends and cousins spoke of shock and heartbreak, with several noting that they had just recently spent time with him or reconnected. One commenter, Tawania Harvin Galloway, wrote that their sons had grown up together, calling the news a complete shock. Another simply said, “I just met him. This isn’t fair.”
The circumstances surrounding exactly how Knight came to be on the tracks have not been publicly explained by authorities, and no further details were available at the time of this writing. The investigation remains ongoing.
A Community Holds Each Other Close
For now, the family is asking that friends and supporters continue to keep them in their thoughts and prayers while they navigate the days ahead.
Funeral and visitation arrangements are expected to be announced once the family has had an opportunity to make decisions together.
Xavier Knight leaves behind a daughter, a wide extended family, and a community that is clearly hurting in his absence.
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