SC woman charged after crash that killed one person and hurt others, cops say
Days after a fatal crash, a woman was charged with multiple counts of DUI, South Carolina Highway Patrol said Wednesday.
Donna J. Barnhill was arrested on charges of felony DUI with death, and felony DUI with great bodily injury, according to Master Trooper Brian Lee.
On Saturday night, Barnhill was driving an SUV that crashed into a tree near a road in Darlington County, according to the Highway Patrol.
One person was killed, while Barnhill and another occupant were hurt in the wreck, Lance Cpl. Nick Pye said.
The single-vehicle collision happened at about 9:15 p.m., near the intersection of South Sansbury and Oak Stump roads, according to Pye. That’s about 11 miles from Darlington Raceway, the home of NASCAR’s Southern 500.
Barnhill and two passengers were in a 2008 GMC SUV that was driving north on South Sansbury Road, Pye said. The SUV ran off the right side of the road and smashed into a tree, according to Pye.
Both Barnhill and a back-seat passenger were taken to an area hospital, Pye said. Further information on the passenger’s condition was not available.
A front-seat passenger was killed, according to Pye.
The Darlington County Coroner’s Office said Robin Nichole Knotts died in the wreck, WPDE reported. The Lamar resident was an EMS worker, according to WBTW.
No other injuries were reported.
None of the occupants in the SUV wore a seat belt, Pye said.
After she was released from the hospital, Barnhill was taken to the Darlington County Detention Center where she was booked on the DUI charges at about 8 a.m. Wednesday, Lee said.
No bond has been set for the 33-year-old Timmonsville resident who remains behind bars, jail records show.
Barnhill was also fined $25 for not wearing a seat belt, Darlington County court records show.
In the past Barnhill has been found guilty of speeding, a seat belt violation, and failure to yield right-of-way on left turn, according to court records.
Through Tuesday, 1,002 people had died on South Carolina roads in 2021, state Department of Public Safety data shows. Of those, 669 of the victims had access to seat belts, but 326 were not wearing them, DPS reported.
At least 20 people have been killed in Darlington County crashes in 2021, and 11 of them were not wearing seat belts, DPS reported.
BEHIND THE STORY
MOREThis is a breaking news story
In a breaking news situation, facts can be unclear and the situation may still be developing. The State is trying to get important information to the public as quickly and accurately as possible. This story will be updated as more information becomes available, and some information in this story may change as the facts become clearer. Refresh this page later for more updated information.
This story was originally published November 28, 2021 at 1:09 PM.
