Driver killed when car runs off highway and hits tree in Richland County, SC cops say
One person was killed Monday when a car ran off a major highway in Richland County and crashed into a tree, according to the South Carolina Highway Patrol.
The single-vehicle collision happened just as the evening commute was beginning at about 4:45 p.m., said Lance Cpl. Nick Pye.
A 2013 Toyota sedan was driving north on Interstate 77 when it ran off the highway near the 26 mile marker, according to Pye. That’s in the Blythewood area, not far from Exit 24 on I-77, which is the junction with U.S. 21/Wilson Boulevard.
The car went off the right side of I-77, crashed into a tree and the driver died, Pye said.
The Richland County Coroner’s Office has not publicly identified the driver.
There was no word if the driver was wearing a seat belt.
No other injuries were reported.
Information about what caused the car to veer off I-77 was not available, but the crash continues to be investigated by the Highway Patrol.
One northbound lane on I-77 was temporarily closed and the scene wasn’t cleared for about 2 hours, according to the South Carolina Department of Transportation.
Through Sunday, 599 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 37 people have died in Richland County crashes in 2023, according to DPS data. Last year, 67 deaths were reported in the county, DPS reported.
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This story was originally published August 8, 2023 at 8:12 AM with the headline "Driver killed when car runs off highway and hits tree in Richland County, SC cops say."
