Incident # 26-02331 - An adult motorist was severely injured when the vehicle left the Interstate, plummeted down an embankment and struck a tree in the Salkehatchie Swamp. The incident occurred in Hampton County Sunday 22-March, just south of the Colleton County Line. Hampton County EMS requested assistance at 16:11. Colleton Fire-Rescue dispatched Medic 13, Engine 13, Rescue 1 and Battalion 1. Crews used Holmatro Pentheon Rescue Tools to force open the doors on the car to gain access to the patient. The driver was extricated with full spinal precautions, then carried up the embankment. CARE Flight had been requested during the extrication and landed on the Interstate, north of the accident. The patient was transferred from Medic 13 to the Flight Crew, then flown to the Trauma Center at HCA Memorial Hospital in Savannah GA. The accident is being investigated by the Yemassee Police Dept. Both northbound lanes o f I-95 were blocked for about 30 minutes.
Engine 13, Medic 13, Rescue 1, Battalion 1, Hampton County EMS and CARE Flight responded. Battalion Chief Brent Dalton served as Incident Commander.
