Crash with tractor trailer kills two, closes busy Lexington County road, police say
Two people were killed in an overnight crash that kept a busy Lexington County road closed during the Monday morning commute, the West Columbia Police Department said Monday.
The two-vehicle collision happened at about 11:30 p.m. Sunday, police said in a news release.
A tractor trailer was one of the vehicles involved in the wreck near the intersection of U.S. 1/Augusta Road and 12th Street, police said. That’s an area of West Columbia densely packed with restaurants and retail businesses that’s about a mile from the Gervais Street bridge and the Congaree River.
Information about what caused the crash was not available, but police are continuing to investigate. There was no word if any of the people involved wore seat belts.
The Lexington County Coroner’s Office has not publicly identified the victims.
No other injuries were reported by police.
All east and westbound lanes on Augusta Road remained closed Monday morning while the road was being cleared and crews worked to restore power to traffic lights, police said.
That created issues for drivers making the morning commute.
“Please expect delays and find an alternate route through downtown West Columbia this morning,” police said.
Through Thursday, 701 people had died on South Carolina roads in 2022, according to the state Department of Public Safety. Last year, 1,194 people died in crashes in South Carolina, DPS reported.
At least 30 people have died in Lexington County crashes in 2022, DPS reported. Last year, 57 deaths were reported there, according to DPS data.
This crash happened hours after two people died Sunday morning in a Richland County collision.
A 2021 Tesla was driving west on Salem Church Road when it ran off the left side of the road and hit a tree before it went up in flames, the South Carolina Highway Patrol said. Both the driver and a front-seat passenger were killed.
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