Baseball coach was going to game when killed in crash that left more hurt, SC coroner says
One person was killed and two others were injured Saturday in a multi-vehicle crash on Interstate 20 that involved a tractor trailer, pickup truck and car, according to the South Carolina Highway Patrol.
Jalen Benjamin, a 29-year-old Rock Hill resident, died in what Kershaw County Coroner David West called an accident.
The three-vehicle collision happened Saturday at about 11:40 a.m. in Kershaw County, said Master Trooper William Bennett of the Highway Patrol.
A 2011 Buick sedan, a 2006 Ford pickup — driven by Benjamin — and a 2024 Freightliner tractor trailer all were going east on I-20, according to officials. At the 93 mile marker, in the Camden area, both the car and pickup stopped for traffic ahead, but the tractor trailer crashed into the rear of the pickup, Bennett said.
The pickup then hit the back of the car, causing both of those vehicles to run off the right side of the road, where the pickup overturned, according to Bennett.
Benjamin died at the scene, while both the car driver and a passenger were injured and taken to an area hospital, Bennett said. Further information on the conditions of the car driver and passenger was not available.
Bennett said the driver was the only person in the tractor trailer and was not hurt. No other injuries were reported.
There was no word if any of the people involved in the crash were wearing seat belts, but the wreck continues to be investigated by the Highway Patrol.
Benjamin was a teacher and the baseball coach at Legion Collegiate Academy in Rock Hill, who was on his way to a baseball game in Sumter when the wreck occurred, West said.
“Coach Benjamin was an amazing young coach — his quiet gentle spirit allowed him to connect with his student-athletes in a special way,” Legion Collegiate Academy Athletic Director Mike Drummond said in a statement on the school’s website. “His bond with his players was always up lifting and positive. We will truly miss his presence, his kind spirit and his big smile!”
A memorial service for Benjamin will be held on Saturday at 2 p.m. at Oakdale Baptist Church in Rock Hill, according to Legion Collegiate Academy.
Through Aug. 4, at least 534 people had died on South Carolina roads in 2024, according to the state Department of Public Safety. Last year, 1,030 people died in crashes in South Carolina, DPS reported.
At least seven people have died in Kershaw County crashes in 2024, according to DPS data. There were 11 deaths reported in the county in 2023, DPS reported.
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This story was originally published August 12, 2024 at 8:40 AM.
