3 teens who died in Ridgeland crash were clocked at 109 mph, police say

Three South Carolina teenagers died and one was critically injured after a single-vehicle accident late Wednesday night on I-95 in Jasper County.

The white Lexus carrying the four teenagers was speeding down I-95 at more than 100 mph when it ran off the exit 22 ramp.

Jashawn Tyrie Brown, 17, of Walterboro, Jakeem Quashon Pinckney, 18, of Smoaks, and Tykeem Tyrone Johnson, 18, of Ruffin, were all killed in the wreck, according to Ridgeland Police.

O’Shay Tysheen Wiggins, 18, of Walterboro, was air-lifted to Savannah Memorial Hospital in critical condition.

Hospital officials could not provide any information on Wiggins’ condition Friday morning.

But Trey Murray, a recent Colleton County High School graduate and friend of all four teens, said Friday that he has spoken to Wiggins’ family and his condition is improving.

“He’s had some surgeries, but he’s going to make it,” Murray said.

A Ridgeland Police officer was parked near exit 22 on I-95 when the teens sped past, Officer David Swinehamer of the department’s traffic enforcement division said Friday.

That officer “measured the speed (of the Lexus) at 109 mph by radar,” Swinehamer said.

“The officer had entered the interstate behind the (teens’) vehicle but was not able to attempt a traffic stop” before the teens exited the highway, he said.

The exit, which includes a sharp right-hand curve, has a speed limit of 25 mph.

The teens “were unable to navigate the curve” traveling more than four times the speed limit, Swinhamer said.

The car first “struck a sign, which caused the vehicle to flip multiple times,” he said. “It hit a couple of smaller trees, and then finally stuck a large tree roof-first.”

When officers arrived on scene soon after the crash, they discovered that the “roof of the vehicle was wrapped around that tree,” Swinehamer said.

The initial investigation appears to indicate that the teens were not wearing seat belts. Toxicology reports are pending, so it is unknown if drugs or alcohol played a role in the crash, he said.

Johnson, Wiggins and Pinckney just graduated from Colleton County High School last week, according to a statement from the Colleton County School District.

Brown was a rising senior at the school.

The school “district family is deeply saddened” by the incident, the district’s statement said. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of these students killed in a tragic car accident Wednesday evening.”

Hundreds of friends, family and community members gathered Thursday evening at Colleton County Middle School for a candlelight vigil to share memories and mourn the late teens, according to reports from Charleston television station WCSC.

Murray said the teens “all loved having fun, going new places and playing sports.”

“We still can’t believe it happened, people are going crazy,” he said.

This story was originally published June 3, 2016 at 11:22 AM with the headline "3 teens who died in Ridgeland crash were clocked at 109 mph, police say."