2-month-old baby killed in crash, parents severely injured, Lexington County coroner says
A 2-month-old boy was killed and three other people were injured Sunday night in a crash involving a pickup truck and SUV, the Lexington County Coroner’s Office said.
The infant’s name will not be made public until the coroner’s office has notified his family, Coroner Margaret Fisher said Monday.
The two-vehicle collision happened at about 9:20 p.m. in Lexington County, according to Lance Cpl. Lena Butler of the South Carolina Highway Patrol.
Both a 2007 Saturn Vue compact SUV and a 2017 Toyota Tacoma pickup were driving west on S.C. 302 in the Pelion area, Butler said. Near the intersection with Asbury Kneece Lane, the SUV slowed for traffic and was hit in the rear by the pickup, according to Butler.
Both vehicles ran off the right side of the road, Butler said. The SUV hit a tree and a power pole before flipping over, according to Fisher.
The baby boy, who was restrained in a car seat, was taken to an area hospital where he died from the injuries he suffered in the crash, Fisher said.
Another passenger from the SUV and both drivers were injured and taken to Lexington Medical Center, according to Butler. The driver and other passenger in the SUV were the infant’s parents, and they were severely injured in the wreck, Fisher said.
The pickup driver suffered “non-life threatening injuries,” according to Fisher.
Further information on the conditions of the baby’s parents and the pickup driver was not available.
There was no word if any of the adults involved in the crash was wearing a seat belt.
The crash continues to be investigated by the Highway Patrol and coroner’s office.
Through Thursday, 612 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 25 people have died in Lexington County crashes in 2023, according to DPS data. Last year, 43 deaths were reported in the county, DPS reported.
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This story was originally published August 14, 2023 at 10:24 AM.
