Beaufort man charged with felony DUI after fatal wrong-way crash on SC 170
A Beaufort man was criminally charged in a wrong-way crash that killed a driver last month on one of the county’s most heavily traveled roadways.
Eric Green, 58, was charged with felony DUI resulting in death after allegedly driving an Infiniti QX50 south on the northbound side of S.C. 170 (Okatie Highway) and striking a Toyota sedan head on, according to the South Carolina Highway Patrol. The collision happened the night of Feb. 18 near the highway’s intersection with Oldfield Way.
Green was booked into the Beaufort County jail Friday morning and remained in custody as of Friday night. He was also charged with misdemeanor marijuana possession as part of the same case, according to jail records.
Trooper Nick Pye, a spokesperson for the South Carolina Highway Patrol, confirmed that Green’s arrest was in connection with the collision.
Authorities identified the Toyota’s driver as 35-year-old Michael Blankenship Jr. of Ridgeland. Blankenship’s obituary describes him as a “loving, passionate human being” who cared deeply about his family and friends. He was a Savannah native.
“Michael will be remembered as a passionate, fiery person, with a heart of gold and helpful attitude to match,” the obituary reads. “He was a hard worker, with determination to always do what he wanted and what he loved.”
Police at the scene of the crash noted Green smelled of alcohol and found a small green bag with suspected marijuana in his front seat, according to his arrest warrant. Green’s eyes appeared bloodshot after he was taken to the hospital with injuries, the warrant says, and he failed the horizontal gaze nystagmus sobriety test involving eye movement and pupil size.
This story was originally published March 14, 2026 at 8:00 AM.
