Aiken, S.C : Three family members died after a car collision in Barnwell County on Friday night, February 3, 2017

Three family members died Friday night after their car collided with another in Barnwell County.

Barnwell County Coroner Lloyd Ward identified the deceased as George M. Counts Jr., 56, and Cynthia D. Counts, 56, of Sandhurst Place in Aiken; and George M. Counts Sr., 81, of Springwood Drive in Aiken.

Lance Cpl. Judd Jones with the S.C. Highway Patrol said the accident occurred around 6:15 p.m. on U.S. Highway 78 in Elko.

Jones said the driver and two passengers of a 2006 Toyota Four Runner were killed in the crash.

Counts Jr. was the driver of the car, Ward said.

The wreck occurred on the highway’s eastbound lane after a 61-year-old man in a 1999 Chevrolet van drove into oncoming traffic and struck the SUV, Jones said.

Jones said the man driving the van was not wearing his seat belt and was seriously injured. He was taken by EMS to Augusta University hospital, he said.

There also was a third vehicle involved in the accident, but Jones said the driver of that vehicle, who was wearing a seat belt, escaped the wreck unharmed.

Jones said the collision is still under investigation, and it has not yet been determined what caused the driver of the van to drive into oncoming traffic.

A toxicology report was not available by press time.

Source :
Barnwell County Coroner IDs three killed in Friday car collision