Chester County, SC : Volunteer firefighter killed in a crash on Highway 97 near Great Falls on Thursday night, May 26, 2016

A volunteer firefighter killed in a crash in Chester County Thursday night has been identified as 22-year-old Adam Ryan Swygart, the Chester County Coroner's Office said Friday.

The crash happened around 4:30 p.m. on Highway 97 near Great Falls, South Carolina. According to the SC Highway Patrol, Swygart was hit head-on by a pickup truck.

Troopers said the driver of the truck was traveling north on Highway 97 when he crossed the center line and sideswiped a van, injuring the driver.

The pickup then hit Swygart's pickup truck head-on, according to the highway patrol. He was not on duty and was in his personal vehicle.

Swygart was not wearing a seatbelt and died at the scene. The injured driver of the van was identified as Steven Jones, 62, from Lugoff, SC. He was taken to a hospital in Chester. His condition is unknown.

The crash remains under investigation, and it is unclear if charges will be filed.

Swygart, of Chester, was a volunteer firefighter for the City of Chester Fire Department, the South Chester Fire Department and the Blackstock Fire Department.

Swygart's chief said he was passionate and dependable.

“It takes a special person to do firefighting. Adam was one of the special people,” said Blackstock Volunteer Fire Department Chief Lee Brantley.

Brantley also considers Swygart a friend. The young man was close with Brantley’s son and daughter.

It’s a loss felt by several communities around Chester, where flags are at half staff at a couple of fire stations.

After talking with several of Swygart’s co-workers, it’s clear that spirits are also a little lower.

“We miss him, and I don’t know what we’re going to do without him,” said Brantley.

Brantley said the department would have someone to counsel some of the first responders. Many of Swygart’s own friends responded to the call. It was just down the road from his home.

“We had some younger firefighters that just had got on in the last year, year and a half, and they were also friends with him and it really just devastated them very badly,” Brantley said.

Brantley isn’t the only fire chief who will have a tremendous hole to fill.

“He was on three different fire departments in two different counties,” said Gene Hudson, his chief at South Chester.

It’s a tough task for fire departments to recruit people who are willing to run into a burning building and save a life.

Swygart, known to his friends as "Swag," felt it was his calling.

“Adam, in these days and times, was kind of a rare individual that comes out of high school with an enthusiasm and work ethic, that’s willing to put in all of the hours that it takes to get the certifications,” said Chief Paul Caldwell with the city of Chester.

The 22-year-old had just received his degree from The University of South Carolina Lancaster a few weeks ago.

Brantley told WBTV that Swygart had aspirations of working as an arson investigator.

A school spokesperson said Swygart earned his bachelor of arts in liberal studies, and was a member of Kappa Pi Delta, a criminal justice student organization.

Caldwell said the department is heartbroken for the victim’s family. They’ll be working with them to aid in the funeral, if asked.

“I think God gives us all a light to shine and Adam shown brightly in several directions. A terrible loss.”

For now a makeshift memorial will stay outside the city station that now has a void, one shared by many across Chester County.

“We’re going to miss him, and ain’t no way to replace him. I just wish he’d come back,” Hudson said.

Source :
Volunteer firefighter killed in Chester County crash identified



Chester County, SC : Volunteer firefighter killed in a crash on Highway 97 near Great Falls on Thursday night, May 26, 2016

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