Two killed in head-on collision on Midlands-area road, SC Highway Patrol says
Two people were killed Saturday in a head-on crash near the town of Blackville, according to the South Carolina Highway Patrol said.
The two-vehicle collision happened at about 11:20 p.m., said Master Trooper David Jones.
A 2004 Toyota SUV was hit by a 2011 Dodge four-door sedan on U.S. 78 (Dexter Street) near Jean Lane, according to Jones. Blackville is about 30 miles south of the Midlands.
The Dodge was heading west on U.S. 78 when it crossed the center line and smashed into the Toyota traveling in the opposite direction, Jones said.
The driver of the Dodge was not wearing a seat belt and was ejected from the car, according to Jones.
The person driving the Toyota was wearing a seat belt but suffered fatal injuries, Jones said.
Both drivers died at the scene, the Highway Patrol reported.
After the collision, both of the vehicles caught fire, Jones said.
No other injuries were reported.
The Barnwell County Coroner’s Office will publicly identify the drivers after their families have been notified.
Information on what caused the Dodge to veer across the road was not available, but the wreck remains under investigation by the Highway Patrol.
Through Friday afternoon, 570 people had died on South Carolina roads in 2020, according to the Department of Public Safety. Of those, 393 of the victims had access to seat belts, but 214 were not wearing them, DPS reported.
This is a developing story, check back for updates.
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This story was originally published August 16, 2020 at 3:13 PM.
