Columbia, S.C : Four people dead after three separate crashes in Lexington County on Wednesday, August 31, 2016

Four people are dead after three separate crashes in Lexington County on Wednesday; one man has been arrested and charged with felony DUI.

The first crash involved two vehicles traveling west on Crystal Springs Drive near Becca Lane at about 8:25 p.m., according to the S.C. Highway Patrol. A driver in a Chevrolet truck tried to pass several vehicles and ended up striking a Ford that was slowing down to turn left into a private driveway, Lance Cpl. David Jones said.

The man driving the Chevrolet was not wearing his seat belt, was ejected from his vehicle, and was taken to a local hospital in serious condition, Jones said. The driver of the Ford — Stanley P. Rysz Jr., 62, of Lexington — was wearing a seat belt, was entrapped in the vehicle. He was pronounced dead at the scene, according to Lexington County Coroner Margaret Fisher.

Meanwhile, also around 8:25 p.m., a man driving a Ford truck on U.S. 1 struck two pedestrians as they were trying to cross the road, according to Highway Patrol. This was at the intersection of Priceville Road.

The driver was wearing a seat belt and was not injured, Jones said. The pedestrians — Rashmikant Shah, 64, and his wife, Anjali Rashmikant Shah, 60, both of Gilbert — were pronounced dead at the scene.

A bit later, at 9:40 p.m., a man driving a Toyota truck on Bush River Road struck a Ford in that vehicle’s driver’s side, Jones said. The Ford was turning left from Berryhill Road onto Bush River Road.

The Ford’s driver — Gwendolyn Ann Moody, 59, of Columbia — was taken to a local hospital and died from injuries sustained in the crash, according to Jones and Fisher. The man driving the Toyota – William McLeelan, 57, of Columbia – was arrested and charged with felony DUI.

Highway Patrol continues to investigate each incident.

Source :
Coroner identifies 4 people killed Wednesday night in 3 crashes in Lexington County