Crime & Courts

Driver dies when car overturns while attempting to ‘elude’ law enforcement in SC

The South Carolina Highway Patrol is investigating the death of a driver who crashed while fleeing from law enforcement south of Johnston, S.C.

The driver, Brandon Antonio Pickeral, was pronounced dead at the scene according to the Edgefield County Sheriff’s Department.

At approximately 11:45 p.m. Friday, the driver of a 2013 Infiniti sedan lost control while attempting to “elude law enforcement,” on Yonce Pond Road, approximately two miles south of Johnston, according to Highway Patrol Master Trooper Brandon Bolt.

Edgefield County Sheriff’s deputies attempted to stop the car after observing traffic violations , said Edgefield County Sheriff Jody Rowland.

“It was a textbook stop,” Rowland said.

When the Infiniti came to a stop, a female passenger got out of the right hand side of the car, which then sped off northbound according to Rowland.

The sheriff described the Infiniti as reaching a high speed in a short distance before Pickeral appeared to lose control. The car went off the left side of the road and hit a steep embankment.

“It just started rolling,” Rowland said.

Pickeral was ejected from the car and died at the scene.

He was the only occupant of the vehicle at the time of the crash, according to the Highway Patrol.

This is a breaking news story. Check back here for more details.

This story was originally published December 17, 2022 at 1:58 PM.

Ted Clifford
The State
Ted Clifford is the statewide accountability reporter at The State Newspaper. Formerly the crime and courts reporter, he has covered the Murdaugh saga, state and federal court, as well as criminal justice and public safety in the Midlands and across South Carolina. He is the recipient of the 2023 award for best beat reporting by the South Carolina Press Association.
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