Update: Hilton Head man killed, others injured in 2nd deadly US 278 crash this week
A 22-year-old Hilton Head Island man was killed and several others were taken to the hospital Monday night after a three-vehicle collision on the island, according to state officials.
It was the second death in two days on U.S. 278 in Beaufort County.
Colton Tanner Poirot was pronounced dead at the scene of Monday’s crash, Beaufort County deputy coroner David Ott said. An autopsy will take place at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston.
The crash happened just before 8 p.m. at U.S. 278 and Gumtree Road, S.C. Highway Patrol spokesperson Master Trooper Brian Lee said.
A 2013 Toyota sedan carrying five people was traveling south on Gumtree Road when the driver “disregarded a traffic light” at the intersection with U.S. 278 and struck a 2011 Mitsubishi on the passenger side of the car, Lee said.
The Toyota also pushed the Mitsubishi into a 2014 Hyundai on the eastbound side of U.S. 278.
The driver of the Mitsubishi died, according to Lee, and all five people in the Toyota were transported to the hospital with possible injuries, none of which appeared to be life threatening.
The Mitsubishi and Hyundai drivers were wearing seat belts, but no one in the Toyota was.
The driver
The driver of the Toyota was arrested by Highway Patrol on a charge of driving under suspension, Highway Patrol spokesperson Lance Cpl. Matt Southern said. He was booked into the Beaufort County Detention Center around 2:30 a.m. Tuesday and remained incarcerated as of Tuesday afternoon, according to the jail log.
The Island Packet and Beaufort Gazette do not typically name those charged with misdemeanor crimes unless they are in a position of authority or public trust.
Southern said Highway Patrol is continuing to investigate the crash.
Before the crash
A Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office deputy attempted to stop a vehicle a few minutes before the crash for speeding 63 mph in a 45-mph zone, Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Maj. Bob Bromage said Tuesday afternoon. The deputy turned on the blue lights and followed the red car from U.S. 278 onto Squire Pope Road for about 30 seconds before discontinuing the pursuit in the area of Murray Avenue, pulling off to the side of the road, and coming to a stop, Bromage said.
The crash occurred more than 2 minutes later and at least 2 miles away. Bromage said the Sheriff’s Office has yet to confirm whether the vehicle the deputy attempted to stop was the same vehicle involved in the crash minutes later.
In a separate crash on U.S. 278 in Bluffton on Sunday, 49-year-old Barbara DeWitt of Hilton Head died after a pick-up truck collided with the motorcycle on which she was a passenger. The motorcycle’s driver was seriously injured, and was still hospitalized Monday.
This story was originally published March 3, 2020 at 8:52 AM.
