CCFR October 02 2009

Stations 1, 5, 9, 19 and 27 responded to a fatal multi-vehicle MVC in the 18800 block of Augusta Highway (SC Hwy. 61) at Caterpillar Lane, Friday morning at 0031. The Highway Patrol is investigating the incident as two separate collisions. Shortly before 0030, an empty log truck was apparently attempting to back on to Caterpillar Lane from Augusta Hwy. The trailer portion was across both lanes of Augusta Hwy, when the trailer was struck by west bound Ford Contour causing heavy damage to the small car. The driver was wearing a seatbelt and both front air bags deployed. The driver received relatively minor injuries and was able to exit the vehicle on her own. The cab of the tractor trailer was now blocking the eastbound shoulder and most of the eastbound lane with the empty log trailer across Augusta Hwy. The Ford Contour was blocking the westbound lane and shoulder. The truck driver placed warning triangles in the roadway to warn oncoming traffic and was assisting the injured driver of the Contour.

Shortly thereafter, a west bound older model Chevrolet pickup truck, traveling at a high rate of speed, drove between the truck cab and the wrecked Contour

	Stations 1, 5, 9, 19 and 27 responded to a fatal multi-vehicle MVC in the 18800 block of Augusta Highway (SC Hwy. 61) at Caterpillar Lane, Friday morning at 0031. The Highway Patrol is investigating the incident as two separate collisions. Shortly before 0030, an empty log truck was apparently attempting to back on to Caterpillar Lane from Augusta Hwy. The trailer portion was across both lanes of Augusta Hwy, when the trailer was struck by west bound Ford Contour causing heavy damage to the small car. The driver was wearing a seatbelt and both front air bags deployed. The driver received relatively minor injuries and was able to exit the vehicle on her own. The cab of the tractor trailer was now blocking the eastbound shoulder and most of the eastbound lane with the empty log trailer across Augusta Hwy. The Ford Contour was blocking the westbound lane and shoulder. The truck driver placed warning triangles in the roadway to warn oncoming traffic and was assisting the injured driver of the Contour. Shortly thereafter, a west bound older model Chevrolet pickup truck, traveling at a high rate of speed, drove between the truck cab and the wrecked Contour
	and collided with the now disabled log truck’s trailer. The impacted caused massive damage the pickup truck and severely warped the log trailer, breaking the I-beam frame. The collision heavily entrapped the 52 year old Arkansas man who was driving the pickup truck and a 37 year old rear passenger in the extended cab pickup truck. A female front seat passenger received critical head and other traumatic injuries. No one in the pickup truck was wearing a seatbelt and the vehicle was not equipped with air bags. The log truck driver was not injured. Fire-Rescue responded three ambulances, a heavy rescue unit and two Engines to the incident and requested two medical helicopters to fly to the scene. Firefighter-Paramedics extricated the female from the pickup truck with little difficulty. A large pit bull was also injured and was taken into the care of Colleton County Animal Control Officers. The driver of the pickup truck passed away during the extrication.. Crews used Holmatro hydraulic rescue tools to remove the roof of the truck to allow the rear passenger to be extricated. Hydraulic rams were used to displace the dashboard and free the driver.
	The Coroner’s Office transported his body to Colleton Medical Center. The female passenger was flown by Omniflight-Charleston to the Trauma Center at MUSC. The second helicopter had an extended ETA, so it was canceled. The rear passenger was transported to Colleton Medical Center as well as the female driver of the Ford Contour. The SC Highway Patrol investigated the accident. The SCHP MAIT (Accident Reconstruction) Team also responded. Augusta Hwy in the area of the accident was closed for six hours, while the scene was reconstructed and two wrecker companies, using two small wreckers an a heavy duty wrecker worked to separate the mangled mess of twisted steel. Engine 5, Engine 19, Rescue 1, Medic 9, Medic 19, Medic 27, Battalion 1 and Truck 12 responded. Firefighter Ethan Shider initially established command and turned it over to Battalion Chief Dan Barb on his arrival. Shider then served as LZ Contact.