Columbia couple killed after car slams into them on Richland County highway, coroner says
.jpeg "Two people were killed in a crash on I-77.")
A Columbia couple were killed Wednesday night in a two-vehicle collision that temporarily shut down a busy highway in Richland County.
The deadly wreck occurred just before 7 p.m. on Interstate 77, according to Lance Cpl. David Jones of the South Carolina Highway Patrol. The crash was near the 28 mile marker, which is in Blythewood.
The occupants of the vehicles who died were identified as Joyce Marie Dunn, 58, and Brad Allen Dunn, 63, both of Columbia, according to a statement from the Richland County Coroner’s Office.
Jones said the driver of a 2008 Nissan Altima — later identified as Brad Dunn — was heading north on I-77 and stopped the car because of traffic. The Nissan was hit from behind by a 2005 Toyota SUV, highway patrol said.
Joyce Dunn killed in the crash, and was pronounced dead on scene, according the coroner’s office. She was in the passenger seat and wearing a seat belt, but Brad Dunn was not.
Brad Dunn was taken to Prisma Health Richland Memorial Hospital, where he later died at about 8 p.m., according to the coroner’s office. Both died from trauma injuries sustained in the crash.
The driver of the Toyota was wearing a seat belt, but was injured in the collision and taken to an area hospital, Jones said.
There have been no updates on that driver’s condition.
There is no word if criminal charges will be filed.
All northbound lanes on I-77 were closed for more than two hours, according to tweets from the South Carolina Department of Transportation.
As of 1 a.m., the left lane was still closed on I-77 northbound, according to updates on Twitter from SCDOT.
The fatal crash remains under investigation by highway patrol.
This story was originally published March 7, 2019 at 1:23 AM.
