Teacher killed by falling pole after tractor trailer hit power lines, SC officials say
A high school teacher was killed Wednesday when she was hit by a utility pole that fell after a tractor trailer collided with power lines, South Carolina officials said.
Jeunelle Robinson, a 31-year-old Aiken resident, died from injuries she suffered in the accident, Aiken County Coroner Darryl Ables said.
What happened
The crash happened at about 12:30 p.m. Wednesday near the campus of Wagener-Salley High School, where Robinson was a social studies teacher, officials said.
A 2014 Peterbilt tractor trailer was driving north on S.C. 113/Main Street when it hit low-hanging power lines, according to Lance Cpl. Brittany Glover of the South Carolina Highway Patrol. That collision caused a utility pole to fall and crash on Robinson, who was walking south down Main Street, Glover said.
Robinson was first taken to Aiken Regional Medical Center before being flown to Augusta University Medical Center where she died, according to Glover.
After the “horrible accident,” Robinson was surrounded by her family when she died Wednesday night, Wagener-Salley High School Principal Rasheem Neloms said in a news release.
Glover said the tractor trailer driver was not hurt, and no other injuries were reported.
Affect on school
Because the crash happened so close to the school, Wagener-Salley officials issued a “soft lockdown” to limit movement within the school building on Wednesday afternoon, according to Neloms. All other staff and students were safe, the principal said.
An autopsy was scheduled for Thursday in Newberry, and Ables said his office and the Highway Patrol are continuing to investigate the death.
“This tragedy is devastating to all of us as Ms. Robinson was in her second year teaching social studies at Wagener-Salley,” Neloms said. “Over the past year, she became friends with numerous colleagues and developed meaningful relationships with many of our students. Genuine and sweet to everyone she encountered, her time here at our school and on this earth feels much too short.”
Extra counselors will be on the Wagener-Salley campus for at least the rest of the week to provide support to students, teachers, staff and families, according to Neloms. There are also resources on the school’s website for supporting children with grief.
After-school activities that were scheduled for the rest of the week, including Thursday night’s volleyball game and open house as well as Friday’s home football game, will not be held, Neloms said. There was no word if the events have been canceled or will be rescheduled at a later date.
“Please keep Ms. Robinson’s family and all who knew and loved her in your prayers as we heal from the tragedy of her passing together,” Neloms said.
Through Tuesday, 641 people had died on South Carolina roads in 2023, including 99 pedestrians, according to the state Department of Public Safety. Last year, 1,091 people died in crashes in South Carolina, DPS reported.
At least 26 people have died in Aiken County crashes in 2023, according to DPS data. Last year, 29 deaths were reported in the county, DPS reported.
