04/May/2019 – Fatal MVC – “A” Shift

Incident # 19-03064 – Six people were transported to Colleton Medical Center following a high speed, single car MVC on Interstate 95 near the 41 mile marker southbound at the Colleton-Hampton County line Saturday afternoon 04-May at 15:07. Initial reports to Colleton 9-1-1 advised a silver car crashed into a tree in the median, but the caller did not provide information regarding injuries. The accident occurred during a thunderstorm. It appeared the car left the roadway, slide sideways and the passenger side struck the trees in the median. Medic 13, stationed in Jonesville, arrived seven minutes later to find the heavily damaged Chevrolet Equinox off the roadway at the tree line. Firefighter-Paramedics found several bystanders assisting the patients. They found two critical patients and began treating a 13 year old female for severe multiple traumatic injuries. Medic 13 requested two additional ambulances and a medical helicopter, however no helicopters could fly due to the storm. A Hampton County EMS unit arrived a short time later and assisted with the patients. Hampton County 9-1-1 had also received reports of the accident being in their county. Medic 13 rapidly transported the 13 year old to Colleton Medical Center with additional Firefighter-Paramedics on board to assist with the patient care. The patient went into cardiac arrest during the transport to the ED. Crews performed resuscitative efforts enroute to the ED and CMC continued the efforts after arrival at the hospital. Sadly the patient did not survive her injuries. Hampton County EMS transported the second critical patient and one other patient to Colleton Medical Center and Fire-Rescue Medic 1 transported the remaining patients.

The second critical patient, an adult, was stabilized at CMC, then flown by the C.A.R.E. Flight helicopter to a Charleston Trauma Center after the storm passed. The family was from North Carolina. Southbound traffic on  I-95 was down to one lane for two hours and backed up for three miles. The SC Highway Patrol is investigating the crash.  

Engine 1, Medic 1, Medic 13, Medic 26, Battalion 1, Car 112 responded. Battalion Chief Scott O’Quinn served as Incident Commander. Hampton County Fire-Rescue and Hampton County EMS also responded.