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Driver killed in Richland County crash with tree identified by coroner

One person was killed in an early-morning crash in Richland County, according to the South Carolina Highway Patrol.

Mecca S. Windsor, a 29-year-old Sumter resident, is the driver who died, Richland County Coroner Naida Rutherford said Wednesday morning.

The single-vehicle collision happened Tuesday at about 3 a.m., said Cpl. David Jones.

A 2013 Hyundai four-door vehicle was driving south on U.S. 601 when it ran off the left side of the road near the intersection with Governor Heyward Road, according to Jones. That’s in the area between Fort Jackson and McEntire Joint National Guard Base.

The vehicle crashed into a tree and Windsor died at the scene, Jones said.

There was no word if Windsor was wearing a seat belt.

No other injuries were reported.

Information about what caused the Hyundai to run off the road was not available, but the crash remains under investigation by the Highway Patrol.

Through Monday, five people had died on South Carolina roads in 2023, according to the state Department of Public Safety. Last year, 1,061 people died in crashes in South Carolina, DPS reported.

This was at least the third deadly crash in Richland County in 2023, according to DPS data. Last year, 64 deaths were reported in the county, DPS reported.

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This story was originally published January 11, 2023 at 8:27 AM.

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Noah Feit
The State
Noah Feit is a Real Time reporter with The State focused on breaking news, public safety and trending news. The award-winning journalist has worked for multiple newspapers since starting his career in 1999. Support my work with a digital subscription
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