17/November/2019 – MVC with Air Evac – “C” Shift

Incident # 19-08022 – Three Florida residents were injured in a single vehicle MVC on I-95 near the 63 mile marker southbound Sunday afternoon 17-November. At 12:54, 9-1-1 received reports of a small passenger car that was struck by debris in the roadway and crashed into a tree in the median. The 18 year old female driver was struck in the head by a football sized piece of concrete that was propelled through the windshield. The teenager received severe head trauma and was knocked unconscious. Her 15 year old sister who was seated next to her was also injured, but grabbed the steering wheel of the car which was still traveling at Interstate speeds and attempted to guide the vehicle to safety. The car drove off of the left shoulder narrowly missing a creek, back to the road and then back into the median where it struck several trees. A passenger in the back seat received minor injuries. Many passing motorists and several truck drivers stopped to assist. One motorist had a first aid kit which was used to control the driver’s heavy bleeding. Fire-Rescue dispatched two ambulances to the accident and placed the CARE Flight medical helicopter on standby. Fire units arrived minutes later and began treating the injured. CARE Flight landed on the Interstate near the MVC site. The 18 year old was immobilized, then quickly flown to the Trauma Center at MUSC in Charleston. The remaining two patients were transported to Colleton Medical Center in Walterboro by Fire-Rescue Medic 1. The 15 year old girl was later transferred by private ambulance to the Children’s Trauma Center at MUSC. Traffic on southbound I-95 backed up seven miles until the accident could be cleared. The SC Highway Patrol is investigating the crash.

Engine 5, Engine 26, Medic 1, Medic 26, Battalion 1, CARE Flight, Car 112 and Car 118 responded. Battalion Chief Chris Jones served as Incident Commander.