South Carolina

2 dead, 5 injured after car crosses barrier on I-26 in Calhoun County

Two people died and five others were injured Wednesday in a six-car collision on I-26 in Calhoun County, according to the S.C. Highway Patrol
Two people died and five others were injured Wednesday in a six-car collision on I-26 in Calhoun County, according to the S.C. Highway Patrol The Wichita Eagle

Two people were killed and another five injured Wednesday in a six-car collision on Interstate 26 in Calhoun County, according to the South Carolina Highway Patrol.

The deadly pileup occurred at 5:11 p.m. when the driver of a westbound Chevrolet sedan ran off the road near mile marker 120, plowed through the median barrier into eastbound traffic and crashed into a GMC SUV, Cpl. Nick Pye said in a statement.

Four other eastbound vehicles were caught in the wreckage, Pye said.

The drivers of both the Chevrolet and the GMC were killed, and five occupants from three of the other vehicles were hospitalized with injuries, he said.

Calhoun County Coroner Donnie Porth identified the driver of the Chevrolet as 34-year-old Daniel Waln, of St. Leo, Florida, and the driver of the GMC as 61-year-old Sherry Short, of Springfield in Orangeburg County.

The collision remains under investigation by the coroner’s office and the South Carolina Highway Patrol. An autopsy is planned for Friday, Porth said.

This story was originally published July 18, 2025 at 9:42 AM.

Zak Koeske
The State
Zak Koeske is a projects reporter for The State. He previously covered state government and politics for the paper. Before joining The State, Zak covered education, government and policing issues in the Chicago area. He’s also written for publications in his native Pittsburgh and the New York/New Jersey area. 
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