Columbia man killed in Lexington Co. wreck near Interstate 77 identified by coroner
The Columbia man who died after a single-car wreck early Saturday near Interstate 77 and U.S. Highway 321 was identified by the Lexington County Coroner’s Office.
Allen Ozoris Evans died at the scene from injuries the 31-year-old suffered in the crash, Coroner Margaret Fisher said.
Evans was driving a vehicle that ran into a ditch and hit a bridge while on the entrance ramp of I-77 and U.S. 321, also known as the Charleston Highway, said Sonny Collins of the South Carolina Highway Patrol.
The collision happened at about 3 a.m., when Evans failed to navigate a sharp curve, causing his vehicle to run off the highway, cross a grass median, and smash into the overpass before going down an embankment, according to Fisher.
Evans was not wearing a seat belt, Collins said.
No other injuries were reported.
The crash is being investigated by Highway Patrol.
“Our condolences go out to the family and friends of Mr. Evans,” the coroner’s office said on Facebook.
Through Friday afternoon, 845 people had died on South Carolina roads in 2020, according to the Department of Public Safety. Of those, 573 of the victims had access to seat belts, but 304 were not wearing them, DPS reported.
There have been at least 34 people killed in Lexington County crashes in 2020, and seat belts were not used in at least 26 of the collisions, according to DPS.
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This story was originally published October 31, 2020 at 12:22 PM.
