Driver killed and passenger hospitalized after early morning crash on I-26, SC cops say

One person was killed and another was injured in an early-morning crash on a major highway in the Midlands, according to the South Carolina Highway Patrol.

The single-vehicle collision happened at about 2 a.m. on a section of Interstate 26 that runs through Calhoun County, said Lance Cpl. William Bennett.

It was near the 132 mile marker on I-26 that a 2014 Nissan SUV ran off the left side of the highway, according to Bennett. That’s near the St. Matthews area, not far from the Lexington County line.

The SUV crashed into the median barrier and flipped over, Bennett said.

The driver, who was not wearing a seat belt, was ejected from the SUV and died at the scene, according to Bennett.

The Calhoun County Coroner’s Office has not publicly identified the driver.

A passenger in the SUV was taken to Lexington Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries, Bennett said. Further information on the passenger’s condition was not available.

There was no word if the passenger was wearing a seat belt.

No other injuries were reported.

Information about what caused the SUV to veer off the road was not available. The Highway Patrol did not say if the crash remains under investigation.

Through Sunday, 561 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 five people have died in Calhoun County crashes in 2023, according to DPS data. Last year, four deaths were reported in the county, DPS reported.

This story was originally published July 25, 2023 at 12:44 PM.

Noah Feit

The State

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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