Cause of SC crash that killed kindergarten aide and her 6-year-old daughter revealed

The collision in Wellford last week that killed three people occurred when one car ran a red light traveling at a high rate of speed and crashed into another car in the intersection.

Wellford Police Chief David Green said a Ford Fusion driven by Jackalon L. Mattison hit the BMW SUV driven by Megan Barnett after running through the light. He declined to say specifically how fast she was going, but the damage to the cars shows it was beyond the 50 mph speed limit.

He said there was no evidence at the scene that Mattison applied her brakes.

Mattison, Barnett and Barnett’s 6-year-old daughter died at the scene.

Green said he did not know where Mattison was going or why she was traveling so fast, but she was headed toward her home in Lyman and coming from the direction of Spartanburg Regional Hospital, where she worked as a records clerk.

“Nothing in her previous driving record would predict this. She was an excellent driver,” Green said.

The community is reeling over the collision, which Green described as “a true tragedy.”

“It has affected everyone in Lyman and Wellford communities, both families,” Green said.

Mattison, 43, was described in her obituary as having a warm spirit and an infectious smile.

“Her compassion and love filled all those who were in her presence,” the obituary said.

She loved to shop and play games and was a member of the Kingdom Hall.

Services have not been announced.

Barnett, 30, was a kindergarten aide at Wellford Academy of Science and Technology, where her 6-year-old daughter Briley was a first grader. Her husband, Christopher, is a collision tech at BMW Performance Center, according to his Linked In page.

They have two other children, both boys, Landry, a fourth grader at Wellford Academy and Finley, 18 months. Megan Barnett was studying to be a teacher.

They were members of Immanuel United Methodist Church in Wellford. Their funeral was Saturday.

The collision happened around 4:30 p.m. April 19 on U.S. Highway 29 at Tucapau Road, about 10 miles east of Spartanburg and not far from Wellford Academy and the Barnett home.

This story was originally published April 27, 2022 at 5:00 AM.