COLUMBIA, S.C. — A 40-year-old man will remain in jail after a judge denied him bond Wednesday, calling him “a danger to the community.” This decision comes two weeks after police say James Gilmore fatally struck 22-year-old Xavier Jackson with his vehicle and fled the scene.
Jackson’s body was discovered on the side of Bluff Road in the early hours of October 8. His aunt, Lajuanda Ravenell, shared her heartbreak over the loss. “I just had that feeling it was him because I called and called and texted. I told him to just let someone know where he is, and he never responded to any of us,” she said, fighting back tears. Jackson had been staying with Ravenell and her husband at the time.
According to police, Jackson was walking home from work around 9:30 p.m. on October 7 when the incident occurred. Ravenell expressed the deep impact of Jackson’s death on their family. “We had something taken from us that was valuable. He can never feel the type of way we feel now,” she said.
Gilmore turned himself in on October 21, 13 days after the incident. In court, his attorney, Seth Rose, argued for bond, stating that Gilmore is a father, a reliable employee, and has strong community ties as a Columbia native.
“That doesn’t mean anything to me,” Ravenell responded to Rose's claims. “There are a lot of people who have jobs that don’t do what he did and then not show up and say nothing about it almost two weeks later.”
During the hearing, deputies presented surveillance footage showing that Gilmore drove more than 250 feet with Jackson on the hood of his truck.
Jackson’s family remembers him as a vibrant person with a love for music and family. “He was a family person. He always felt like he had to protect us. He was like a role model to all of us,” Ravenell said.
Before denying bond, the judge noted that Gilmore's delay in turning himself in was concerning. He faces several charges, including hit and run resulting in death and failure to render aid, along with driving an uninsured vehicle and driving on a suspended license.
Gilmore is scheduled to appear at Richland Judicial Court on December 13.