02/13/2012 – MVC with two entrapments & Air Evacuation – “A” Shift

Incident # 12-0840 – A Monday evening vehicle accident involving three vehicles has left one man critically injured and sent another person to a Trauma Center. The SC Highway Patrol is looking for the vehicle that may have caused the accident. The pickup truck did not stop following the crash. Fire-Rescue was alerted to the high speed accident in the 12000 block of Charleston Highway (SC Hwy 64) west of Jacksonboro at 18:29.  Engine 2 arrived to find a Jeep Wrangler with massive damage in the middle of the highway and a Toyota Highlander with heavy frontend damage in the ditch. The cars had struck head-on. Both drivers were entrapped in the wreckage. A 12 year old boy in the Highland also received minor injuries, but did not require ambulance transportation. A second ambulance, one additional Engine and a medical helicopter were assigned to the incident. Charleston Highway was completely blocked due to the crash.

Firefighters used Holmatro Rescue Tools to extricate the drivers, while other crew members treated the injured. The male driver of the Jeep was semi-conscious in critical condition with multiple traumatic injuries. Due to his condition, Firefighter-Paramedics had to RSI the patient to secure his airway. Asst. Medical Control Physician Val Smetka drove up on the accident and assisted in Medic 6 with patient care. The man was transported to the baseball field in the Neyles Community to meet with Lifenet 7. He was flown to the Trauma Center at MUSC in Charleston. The female driver of the Toyota SUV was extricated with a third door conversion. She was immobilized with full spinal precautions, then transported in stable condition by Medic 9 directly to MUSC. The child was released to his grandfather at the scene. All occupants were wearing seatbelts. 

Charleston Highway remained closed for approximately 1-1/2 hours until the accident could be cleared. Anyone with information concerning the vehicle that left the scene is urged to contact the SC Highway Patrol at 538-2111. The vehicle was described by witnesses as a white pickup truck pulling a wooden utility trailer, traveling in the direction of Walterboro.  

Engine 2, Engine 9, Engine 12, Rescue 1, Medic 6, Medic 9 and Car 12 responded. Battalion Chief Brent Dalton served as Incident Commander. Engine 12 coordinated the Landing Zone at the Neyles Community Center.

Photos by Harold Buzzell