Six people were injured after a pickup truck rear ended a car carrier on I-95 near the 54 mile marker southbound in Colleton County (SC), Tuesday morning 20-September at 02:08. Both vehicles were traveling southbound when the collision occurred. The 2015 Silverado pickup truck overtook the tractor trailer car carrier and impacted the rear of the trailer, pushing the lower deck of cars forward and causing heavy damage to the pickup truck which was pinned to the trailer. The adult male driver of the pickup truck was trapped in the wreckage and suffered multiple traumatic injuries. An adult female and two female juveniles in car seats were also injured. Both adult male patients in the tractor trailer also complained of non-life threatening injuries.
First arriving Colleton County (SC) Firefighter-Paramedics on Medic 1 and Engine 1 requested three additional Fire-Rescue ambulances while they began treating the injured. One lane of southbound I-95 was closed. Crews used Holmatro rescue tools from Engine 1 to remove the driver’s door and free the driver. He was transported emergent to the trauma center at Trident Medical in Summerville by Medic 19. The other patients were transported to Colleton Medical Center. The driver of the tractor trailer denied ambulance transport.
Two dogs also escaped the pickup truck. Firefighters caught one dog and secured him until Animal Control officers arrived. Personnel and Animal Control units searched the area between Exits 53 and 57 for an hour but were unable to locate the second canine. The SC Highway Patrol is investigating the accident.
Engine 1, Medic 1, Medic 13, Medic 19, Medic 26, Battalion 1 and Car 12 responded. Battalion Chief Scott O’Quinn served as Incident Commander.
Barry W. McRoy, Fire Chief, Colleton County Fire-Rescue
Barry W. McRoy photo
Barry W. McRoy photo
Barry W. McRoy photo
Barry W. McRoy photo
Barry W. McRoy photo