Flying tire kills state employee while he was on the job, South Carolina officials say
The South Carolina Department of Transportation said one of its employees was killed in the line of duty Tuesday.
Jerad Rose, a surveyor, died while performing his duties alongside a highway in Dorchester County, SCDOT officials said in a news release. The Dorchester County Coroner’s Office said the 24-year-old Summerville resident died at the scene, WCIV reported.
The deadly incident happened at about 9 a.m. on U.S. 15, near the intersection with Deer Hunt Road, said Cpl. Nick Pye of the South Carolina Highway Patrol. That’s in the Bowman area of Dorchester County, near Exit 172 on Interstate 26.
Rose, called a pedestrian, was on southbound shoulder of U.S. 15 when he was hit by a tire that came off of a 2012 Freightliner tractor trailer that was driving south on the road, according to Pye.
Pye said the driver was the only person in the tractor trailer and was not hurt. No other injuries were reported.
Tuesday’s “tragedy is yet another reminder of the danger our front line workers face as they work to improve the lives of South Carolinians,” Secretary of Transportation Justin Powell said in the news release.
Employees observed a moment of silence in honor of Rose, who started his career with SCDOT in 2024, according to the release. Rose will be honored and recognized at the annual workers memorial service in April, SCDOT officials said.
“Jerad’s memory and his sacrifice in service to our state will not be forgotten,” Powell said. “This is a tremendous loss and I would ask all of you to join us in lifting up his family, friends and colleagues in your prayers.”
Rose’s death continues to be investigated by the Highway Patrol.
Through Sunday, 86 people had died on South Carolina roads in 2025, according to the state Department of Public Safety. Last year, at least 948 people died in crashes in South Carolina, DPS reported.
At least three people have died in Dorchester County crashes in 2025, according to DPS data. There were 35 deaths in the county in 2024, DPS reported.
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