Berkeley County,SC : Two dead in separate accidents on Halfway Creek Road in Berkeley Co. on January, Monday 29th 2018

The Berkeley County Coroner released the identity Monday morning of one of two people who died over the weekend in separate accidents on the same road.

Mable Kearise, 70, of Jamestown, died Saturday afternoon in the first accident, Coroner Bill Salisbury said.

Kearise was traveling north on Halfway Creek Road at approximately 5:30 p.m. when the Chevrolet Malibu she was driving ran off the left side of the roadway near Round Pond Road and overturned several times, Salisbury said.

The driver was not wearing a seat belt, troopers say.

The identity of the person killed in a second accident, which happened Sunday just after 8 p.m., has not yet been released.

The crash occurred near Guerin Landing Road and involved a 2003 Toyota pick-up truck that ran off the road and hit a tree, according to South Carolina Highway Patrol Cpl. Sonny Collins.

According to South Carolina Highway Patrol four people have been killed on Halfway Creek Road in Berkeley County over the last five years. This does not include the two that were killed over the weekend.

"Francis Marion roads... there's no lighting, so it's very dark," said Chief Deputy Berkeley County Coroner George Oliver.

Oliver said there are a few common factors he and law enforcement have noticed when it comes to these deadly crashes on that road.

"The roadway is in terrible condition,” Oliver said. “A lot of pot holes and patched areas. The road itself is narrow, compared to some of the other roads... not much room if you run off the road to make corrections."

Battalion Chief Michael Bowers said the Awendaw-McClellanville Consolidated Fire District was called in to assist first responders on scene Sunday night.

The driver was pronounced dead at the scene, Bowers said.

The driver was the only person inside the truck at the time and was wearing a seat belt, Collins added. Monday afternoon troopers said speed was a factor in both crashes.

"They fly all the time up and down the road,” said John Litchfield, of Huger. “It's got so many curves here and nobody pays any mind to these curves and all of a sudden you're upside down in the woods."

Litchfield added he's concerned about the number of accidents in general that happen on the road.

Over a five-year period, Highway Patrol statistics show there were 35 crashes which left 30 people hurt.

“I've seen people flying through here up to 70 miles per hour,” Litchfield said. “Just rollin’, it's terrible.”

Litchfield said he'd like to see more signs posted along the road, while Oliver added ideally widening it would be beneficial along with road reflectors.

“Drive with extreme care,” Oliver said. “Again, it's very dark. There are a lot of deer in that area as well.”

Salisbury said the man involved in Sunday night’s accident has not yet been identified because his next-of-kin lives out of the country and the Berkeley County Coroner's Office is working to contact them.

Source :
Two dead in separate accidents on Halfway Creek Road in Berkeley Co.