Man killed in Lower Richland car crash identified

The Richland County Coroner’s Office has released the identity of the driver who was killed in a single car collision in Lower Richland County early Sunday morning.

Ben Christopher Cato, 44, of Florence, died as a result of the crash that occurred around 3 a.m. in Eastover, Coroner Gary Watts said in a statement released Sunday night.

The accident happened after the car traveling on Vanboklen Road ran a stop sign at Garners Ferry Road, S.C. Highway Patrol troopers said. Cato was killed and a passenger was injured after the car crashed into a tree at the intersection, troopers said.

Cato died at Palmetto Health Richland at 4:27 a.m. as a result of multiple trauma, Watts said.

Cato was not wearing a seat belt, troopers said.

Staff reports

This story was originally published July 26, 2015 at 12:40 PM.