Midlands man is dead and a woman is in jail, SC officials say
A Midlands man was killed in a weekend crash, and the woman who drove the car is in jail, officials said Sunday.
Michael Nelvin Gordon was the passenger in a car that ran off Calhoun Road and crashed into a tree Saturday, according to Lexington County Coroner Margaret Fisher. The 40-year-old Gaston resident died at the scene of the accident, Fisher said.
The single-vehicle collision happened at about 9:30 a.m. in the Swansea area, according to Cpl. David Jones of the South Carolina Highway Patrol.
Darlene Richardson was driving a 2014 Chevrolet Impala east on Calhoun Road, Jones said. She failed to navigate a curve, and the Chevy ran off the right side of the road, according to Fisher.
The car crashed into a tree and flipped over, Jones said.
While the front-seat passenger died, Richardson was injured in the wreck and had to be airlifted to Prisma Health Richland hospital, according to Jones.
Richardson did not wear a seat belt, but Gordon was wearing safety restraints, according to Fisher.
No other injuries were reported.
When she was discharged from the hospital, Richardson was arrested and charged with felony DUI involving death, Jones said.
No bond has been set for the 40-year-old Richardson, who was being held at the Lexington County Detention Center as of Monday morning, jail records showed.
Richardson, who lives on Calhoun Road, is scheduled to appear in court again on Jan. 5, 2023, Lexington County court records show.
This is not the the first time Richardson has been arrested for a traffic crime. Since 2008, Richardson has been convicted on multiple speeding and seat belt violation charges, according to court records.
Despite the arrest, the crash continues to be investigated by the Highway Patrol.
More than 841 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 36 people have died in Lexington County crashes in 2022, DPS reported. Last year, 57 deaths were reported there, according to DPS data.
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This story was originally published November 14, 2022 at 7:46 AM.
