(AP) -- Columbia's police chief says he has been fired, after more than two weeks of criticism for his investigation into a wreck involving the mayor-elect of South Carolina's capital city.
Tandy Carter said Monday he'll challenge his termination by city manager Steve Gantt.
Carter has been investigating an early morning crash on April 21, hours after Steve Benjamin was elected as Columbia's first black mayor.
Benjamin was not hurt. The other driver has been hospitalized for two weeks.
Carter said he would stay on the case despite Benjamin's request that an outside agency be called to avoid any appearance of favoritism. Last week Carter did ask the Highway Patrol to review his agency's investigation.
Gantt says Col. Carl Burke has been appointed as interim chief.
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