03/December/2019 – Fatal MVC with Entrapment – “C” Shift

Incident # 19-08384 – A 37 year old Cottageville man died in a two vehicle head-on collision on Cottageville Hwy (US Hwy 17-A) at Trout Lane near the Colleton/Dorchester County line Tuesday morning 03-December. At 06:14, Colleton 9-1-1 Operators received reports of the accident. Callers advised one person was trapped and not breathing. Fire-Rescue Medic 9 arrived a short time later to find the two vehicles with heavy damage in the roadway. The highway was blocked by the wreckage and debris. A second ambulance was requested. A southbound Mercury Marque collided with a Chrysler minivan on the bridge. The driver of the Mercury was entrapped in the wreckage. He was unconscious and not breathing. The driver of the minivan fortunately suffered only minor injuries. A bystander had entered the wrecked Mercury and was performing CPR on the driver. Firefighter-Paramedics continued the resuscitative efforts, while other crew members used Holmatro Rescue Tools to extricate the driver. He suffered multiple traumatic injuries, was placed in Medic 9, then transported emergent to Colleton Medical Center with additional Firefighter-Paramedics onboard assisting with patient care. He did not survive his injuries. The adult female driver of the minivan denied ambulance transportation. The highway was blocked for about 1 hour and 45 minutes and was then down to one lane for another hour. The SC Highway Patrol is investigating the crash. Sheriff’s Deputies assisted with traffic control. 

Engine 9, Medic 9, Medic 19, Rescue 1, Battalion 1 and Car 112 responded. Firefighter-EMT Brian Drew served as Incident Commander.