Driver killed in early-morning crash on Midlands road, SC Highway Patrol says
One person was killed in a Wednesday morning crash on a Midlands road, according to South Carolina Highway Patrol.
The two-vehicle collision happened at about 6 a.m. on Slab Landing Road, near the intersection with Scarborough Drive, said Lance Cpl. Tyler Tidwell. That’s about 10 miles east of downtown Orangeburg.
A 2008 Honda Fit was heading north on Slab Landing Road when it crossed the center line to the left and crashed head-on with a 2014 Chevrolet Silverado traveling in the opposite direction, according to Tidwell.
The driver of the Honda compact car was not wearing a seat belt and died at the scene, Tidwell said.
The Orangeburg County Coroner’s Office will publicly identify the driver after notifying the next of kin.
The driver was the only person inside the Chevy pickup truck, and was not hurt, according to Tidwell. Information about whether the driver was wearing a seat belt was not made available.
No other injuries were reported by Highway Patrol.
There was no word on what caused the Honda to veer into oncoming traffic, but the wreck is being investigated by the Highway Patrol.
At least 12 people have died on South Carolina roads in the first six days of 2021, according to the Department of Public Safety. Of those, seven of the victims had access to seat belts, but three were not wearing them, DPS reported.
This is the first fatal collision in Orangeburg County in the new year, DPS data shows.
Overall, 1,016 people died on South Carolina roads in 2020, DPS reported. Of those, 695 had access to seat belts, but 347 were not wearing them, according to DPS.
This is a developing story, check back for updates.
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This story was originally published January 6, 2021 at 12:24 PM.
