1 arrested following deadly hit-and-run involving 2 Ole Miss students behind Oxford City Hall

OXFORD, Miss. (WMC) - One Ole Miss student has died and another is in critical condition after police received a 911 call reporting two people were injured in the parking lot behind Oxford City Hall early Sunday morning.

Officials have confirmed that the two students were hit by a vehicle.

The Oxford Police Department has identified the hit-and-run suspects as 24-year-old Seth Rokitka and 18-year-old Tristan Holland, both of Collierville, Tennessee.

Around 9 p.m., Holland was taken into custody and charged with accessory after the fact. He is facing extradition back to Oxford.

Rokitka is still at large.

Seth Rokitka — Seth Rokitka(Oxford Police Department)

Police say he is driving a Toyota Tundra with Tennessee license plate number 0J76U6.

Earlier in the day, police released a photo of a gray four-door pickup truck they say belonged to the suspects.

Police say this gray, four-door pickup truck is of interest in this hit-and-run case. — Police say this gray, four-door pickup truck is of interest in this hit-and-run case.(Oxford Police Department)

At approximately 1:14 a.m., the Oxford Police Department received the emergency 911 call.

After they were dispatched, officers along with the local fire department arrived at the parking lot behind Oxford City Hall and began tending to the two victims almost immediately, police say.

Both students, a man and woman, were transported to Baptist Memorial Hospital, North Mississippi.

Police say the male student succumbed to his injuries. The female student was transferred to Regional One Hospital in Memphis.

Both victims were confirmed to be students by a spokesperson for the University of Mississippi.

Oxford Mayor Robyn Tannehill released a statement Sunday night identifying the male student as Walker Fielder and offered prayers for both victims and their families:

On Sunday night, Dean of Students Brent Marsh released the following statement:

“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.
We understand this may be a very distressing time for our campus community, and we encourage anyone who needs assistance to visit the following university support services:
· University Counseling Center
· UMatter: Student Support & Advocacy
· Student Health Services
· Psychological Services Center
· Clinic for Outreach and Personal Enrichment (COPE)”
Brent Marsh, dean of students, University of Mississippi

On Sunday, October 16, 2022, at approximately 1:14 AM, the Oxford Police Department received a 911 call by passers by that there were two people injured in the parking lot behind City Hall. pic.twitter.com/oyTCtCyW7G
— Oxford Police Dept (@OxfordPolice) October 16, 2022

If you have any information that could lead Oxford police to Rokitka’s arrest, please call OPD at 662-232-2400 or CrimeStoppers at 662-234-8799.

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