Florida man killed trying to help others in Columbia wreck

COLUMBIA, SC -- An automobile accident that tied up traffic for hours Saturday night near Columbia claimed the life of a Florida resident, who walked into the path of a tractor-trailer truck after his own car was involved in a wreck, authorities in South Carolina said Sunday.

John Herman Phelps, whose address was listed as Fort Myers, Fla., died from injuries he received while crossing the interstate, according to the Richland County Coroner’s office. The coroner’s office said the 78-year-old Phelps had gotten out of his own car to help people who had been involved in a wreck.

Lance Cpl. Hannah Wimberly, a spokeswoman for the S.C. Highway Patrol, said she did not have many details of the accident, but she said Phelps’ car had been in a collision on Interstate 77 near mile marker 8. The area is near Garner’s Ferry Road southeast of downtown Columbia.

“There had been a previous collision in the middle lane,’’ Wimberly said. “The pedestrian walked right out in the pathway of a tractor-trailer after he got out of the car. The pedestrian had already been involved in a previous collision.’’

Saturday’s accident stalled traffic for several hours, causing the Highway Patrol to reroute motorists off the interstate, a major corridor from northern Ohio to South Carolina.

Richland County coroner Gary Watts said he was told that Phelps was traveling to Ohio on I-77 when the accident occurred. Phelps is from Ohio but was in the process of moving full-time to Florida, a neighbor told The State.

The accident happened about 7:30 p.m. on I-77 northbound.

This story was originally published June 28, 2015 at 11:14 AM.