Driver trying to escape law enforcement killed in crash, SC Highway Patrol says
A driver leading a chase in an attempt to get away from law enforcement officers was killed in a crash, according to the South Carolina Highway Patrol.
The single-vehicle collision happened late Tuesday night in Barnwell County, said Lance Cpl. William Bennett.
At about 11:45 p.m., a 2019 Dodge Challenger was driving north on Blacks Road in Williston when it ran off the left side of the road, according to Bennett. The car crashed into a utility pole and flipped over, Bennett said.
The Challenger driver died at the scene, according to Bennett.
The Barnwell County Coroner’s Office has not publicly identified the driver.
Bennett said the driver was the only person in the Challenger, and no other injuries were reported.
Information about how fast the Challenger was going was not available, and there was no word if the driver was wearing a seat belt.
Information about why the driver was trying to escape law enforcement was not available, and the Williston Police Department is investigating what led up to the crash, according to Bennett. The Highway Patrol did not say if the wreck remains under investigation.
Through Sunday, 577 people had died on South Carolina roads in 2023, according to the state Department of Public Safety. Last year, 1,091 people died in crashes in South Carolina, DPS reported.
At least four people have died in Barnwell County crashes in 2023, according to DPS data. Last year, one death was reported in the county, DPS reported.
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This story was originally published August 3, 2023 at 10:49 AM with the headline "Driver trying to escape law enforcement killed in crash, SC Highway Patrol says."
