03/07/2011 – “C” Shift – Fatal MVC w/ejections & Air Evacuation

Incident # 11-01300 – Multiple units responded to a single vehicle high speed MVC at the intersection of Cayce Road and Willow Swamp Road Monday morning 07-March at 08:09. Apparently a northbound Ford Expedition failed to negotiate a curve, entered the ditch and struck the south side of the intersecting roadbed. The vehicle appeared to have become airborne, jumped Willow Swamp Road, striking a tree before landing upright in a wooded area on the north side of the road. The SUV received heavy damage in the crash. The female driver was partially ejected from the vehicle and was found unconscious in critical condition. Two small children were also ejected from the vehicle and found on the ground outside the car. A small girl was found in the back seat of the vehicle. While searching the car, firefighters found an 18 month girl, still in a child seat in the rear of the Expedition among debris. The child suffered minor injuries.

Firefighters from the Islandton and Ashton areas arrived on the scene within minutes and began treating the injured. Firefighter-Paramedics from Station 18 arrived minutes later. Two additional ambulances and a medical helicopter were requested. The Lifenet 3 medical helicopter responded, landing in a field in the Ashton Community several miles from the scene. The female driver was treated for multiple traumatic injuries at the scene. Firefighter-Paramedics performed RSI on the patient to secure her airway. She was then transported by Medic 18 to the field in Ashton to meet with Lifenet 3. The helicopter flew the patient to the Trauma Center at MUSC in Charleston, where she succumbed to her injuries later in the afternoon. The children, ages 8, 6, 4 and 18 months,  were all treated for non-life threatening multiple traumatic injuries and transported by Medics 1 and 19 to Colleton Medical Center. The SC Highway Patrol in investigating the crash.  

Engine 18, Engine 23, Medic 1, Medic 18, Medic 19, Rescue 18, Car 110 and Car 111 responded. Captain Matthew Owen Williams Jr. served as Incident Commander. Firefighter Dustin Mixson served as LZ Coordinator.