Driver killed when car runs off highway and bursts into flames, SC coroner says
One person was killed when a car ran off a major highway and crashed into a tree, the South Carolina Highway Patrol said.
The single-vehicle collision happened at about 1:20 p.m. Sunday in Aiken County, said Lance Cpl. Brittany Glover.
A 2014 Kia Optima was driving east on Interstate 20, and at the 35 mile marker the car ran off the left side of the highway and into the median, where it crashed into a tree, according to Glover.
The car burst into flames and the driver, who suffered burns, died at the scene, Aiken County Coroner Darryl Ables said.
Glover said the driver was the only person in the car, and no other injuries were reported.
An autopsy will be held in Newberry to positively identify the driver, according to Ables. After that, the coroner’s office will notify the next of kin then publicly identify the driver, Ables said.
There was no word if the driver was wearing a seat belt.
Information about what caused the car to veer off the road was not available, but the coroner’s office said the crash remains under investigation.
Two days later, another fatal crash occurred in Aiken County.
At about 6:20 a.m. Tuesday, a pedestrian was hit by a 2017 Dodge Charger in the 2100 block of Piper Road, officials said.
The male victim was walking south in the northbound lane of Piper Road when he was struck by the northbound Charger and died at the scene from blunt force injuries, according to Ables.
The coroner’s office said it will notify the pedestrian’s family before he is publicly identified.
The driver was the only person in the car and was not hurt, Glover said. No other injuries were reported.
Like Sunday’s crash, Ables said this collision remains under investigation.
Through Sunday, 439 people had died on South Carolina roads in 2023, according to the state Department of Public Safety. Last year, 1,091 people died in crashes in South Carolina, DPS reported.
At least 17 people have died in Aiken County crashes in 2023, according to DPS data. Last year, 29 deaths were reported in the county, 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 June 13, 2023 at 12:20 PM.
