Young musician dies in car crash; other driver faces felony DUI charge

A 24-year-old St. Helena Island musician on his way home from playing a show was killed by a driver allegedly going the wrong way while under the influence of drugs or alcohol early Sunday morning.

Sher’Mann Keel Palmer, 24, of St. Helena Island died of blunt force trauma at the scene of the accident on Trash Parkway near Whale Branch Middle School, Beaufort County Coroner Ed Allen said Monday.

Marry German, a 45-year-old Myrtle Beach woman who allegedly turned onto the wrong side of the Trask Parkway while under the influence struck Palmer’s vehicle head on, killing him, fire and law enforcement officials said.

She faces charges of felony DUI and leaving the scene of an accident and is being held at the Beaufort County Detention Center.

Palmer appeared to be a gifted drummer as well as a music student and employee at South Carolina State University, according to information found on his Facebook profile.

A 2014 Nissan driven by Palmer and a 2001 Dodge Ram driven by German collided around 12:30 a.m., according to a Burton Fire District news release and information from South Carolina Highway Patrol Cpl. Sonny Collins.

German turned the truck left from Seabrook Road, onto the wrong side of Trask Parkway, Collins said.

Both cars “sustained heavy damage” and the two drivers and the single passenger in German’s truck were trapped when firefighters arrived, according to the fire district release.

German and the truck’s passenger, a 47-year-old male, were taken to Beaufort Memorial Hospital with “non-incapacitating injuries,” according to South Carolina Highway Patrol Lance Cpl. Matt Southern.

Firefighters worked for five hours and temporarily closed Trask Parkway, redirecting to clear the area of debris and get the injured medical attention, the fire district release said.

Burton Fire District has responded to 58 accidents on Trask Parkway so far this year, including a May 26 fatality of a motorcyclist at Trask Parkway and Laurel Bay Road.

This story was originally published July 11, 2016 at 9:20 AM with the headline "Young musician dies in car crash; other driver faces felony DUI charge."