Motorcycle rider killed in crash with downed tree on Richland County road, cops say
A motorcycle rider was killed in a crash with a downed tree in a Richland County road early Monday morning, according to South Carolina Highway Patrol.
The single-vehicle collision happened at about 5:30 a.m., near the intersection of Old Hopkins Road and Garners Ferry Road, Master Trooper Brian Lee said. That’s in the area near Lower Richland High School and McEntire Joint National Guard Base.
A 2009 Harley-Davidson motorcycle was driving on Old Hopkins Road when it hit a tree that had fallen in the roadway, according to Lee.
The rider, who was wearing a helmet, was taken to an area hospital and later died, Lee said.
The Richland County Coroner’s Office is expected to publicly identify the motorcycle rider after notifying the next of kin.
No other injuries were reported.
Trees were reported downed across the Midlands Monday following hours of thunderstorms, heavy rain, and powerful winds overnight and into the morning.
There was no indication weather conditions played a role in the collision, which continues to be investigated by Highway Patrol.
This is not the first fatal motorcycle crash in the Midlands in 2022. Two bikers were killed in unrelated wrecks over the weekend.
The first crash happened at about 5 p.m. Saturday in Clarendon County, when a 2020 Harley-Davidson ran off the right side of Cecil Road, hit a ditch and flipped over, causing the rider to be ejected, according to Highway Patrol.
The second wreck was at about 12:50 a.m. Sunday in Sumter County. In that collision, a 2015 Harley-Davidson was heading north on McCrays Mill Road when it ran off the left side of the road, hit a curb and crashed into a utility pole, Highway Patrol reported.
Both of those riders died at the scenes.
In 2021, 150 motorcycle riders were among the 1,092 people who had died on South Carolina roads, according to the state Department of Public Safety.
At least 64 people were killed in Richland County crashes in 2021, and 13 involved a motorcycle, DPS reported. This is the first fatal collision in Richland County in 2022, according to DPS.
This is a developing story, check back for updates.
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