One year later: Victims’ families honor women struck in Morrison Drive hit-and-run
CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) – The families of two women who were killed in a double hit-and-run on Morrison Drive are honoring their memories one year after the traffic incident.
Lizzy Zito and Arianna Gamber, both 20, were stuck twice while walking home during the early hours of Sunday, April 28, 2024.
The Zitos visited the memorial site before heading back home, bringing more flowers and a butterfly wind chime. The past weekend, they and the Gambers celebrated the two women with their favorite activities, holding a barbecue and teaching the younger family members how to crab, then a butterfly release near the Stono River.
“I’d say today is no different than any day before. It’s just one day at a time and if it wasn’t for God making the strength to get through a day like today. I don’t know how it’d be possible,” Frank Zito, father of Lizzy Zito, said.
“It’s just very sad for me because that’s my only child and I feel alone,” Marjorie Zito, mother of Lizzy Zito, said.
The families are continuing to fight for justice as the investigation continues since the fatal hit-and-run on April 28, 2024. The girls were walking home in the early morning hours, and were struck by two separate drivers. Seth Carlson struck them first and left the scene. Then Max Gentilin hit them a second time and left the scene.
Carlson is charged with two counts of reckless homicide and two counts of leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death. Gentilin is charged with two counts of leaving the scene of an accident causing death. Both men are out on bond, and by the time the men were caught – it was too late for DUI tests. The family believes alcohol was a factor.
“I got to say we need justice as much as air in our lungs. So, for the girls we need that,” Frank said. “There’s no closure at this point because I don’t know how much further we have to go on and every time we go in the courtroom, it’s like cutting a wound open.”
After Zito and Gamber’s death, the City of Charleston and police department created an initiative to crack down on impaired driving. Since 2024, they have increased enforcement, checkpoints, and rideshare zones. However, Frank said there is still work to be done to save lives.
“The arrest rate is great, but it also means there are still people going to the extreme limits of drinking. What we’re looking for is less lives lost, does that makes sense, you can arrest somebody a hundred times but don’t kill one person. If you take that person away, they can never come back,” said Frank.
The families are working on state bill S52, which is a DUI reform bill. However, their bill has been pushed to be heard at a later date.
“It hurts my heart deeply that it seems like a lot of people really don’t care about a DUI reform or trying to make things safer until they lose their own family members. We’re trying to help people not lose – we lost,” Frank said. “There’s no coming back from that, we don’t want to see nobody else hurt like that. So, to not really give in and help sponsor this, it’s heartbreaking because we’re trying to help you as well.”
The Zitos attached the butterfly wind chime at the memorial site, as a symbolic reminder of their loved one.
“When we put her to rest, three butterflies were flying around and three went down in the tomb went with her. That’s her and her two brothers bond,” Frank said.
“She always excited, she said ‘mommy, mommy look at the butterflies following me. Mommy, mommy look at the butterfly.’ She always looked for butterflies,” said Marjorie.
The families plan to celebrate the women’s birthdays next month. They would have been 22 years old.
