Driver, passenger killed crashing into tree by Midlands road, SC Highway Patrol says
Two people were killed Sunday night when a car crashed into a tree near a Midlands road, according to South Carolina Highway Patrol.
The single-vehicle collision happened at about 8 p.m., by the intersection of U.S. 21/Columbia Road NE and Widgeon Road in the St. Matthews area, said Lance Cpl. Nick Pye. That’s in Orangeburg County, near the line with Calhoun County and about 2 miles from Exit 139 on Interstate 26.
A 2014 Ford sedan was heading north on U.S. 21 when it ran off the right side of the road and hit an embankment before smashing into a tree, according to Pye.
Both the driver and a passenger in the Ford died, Pye said. Neither wore a seat belt, according to Pye.
The Orangeburg County Coroner’s Office is expected to publicly identify the crash victims after notifying the next of kin.
No other injuries were reported.
Information on what caused the Ford to veer off the road was not available, but the crash continues to be investigated by Highway Patrol.
Through Monday morning, 589 people had died on South Carolina roads in 2021, state Department of Public Safety data shows. Of those, 400 of the victims had access to seat belts, but 197 were not wearing them, DPS reported.
At least 26 people have been killed in Orangeburg County crashes in 2021, and seat belts were not used in 13 of the deaths, DPS reported.
This is a developing story, check back for updates.
