CHESTER COUNTY, S.C. — A Charlotte man was charged with DUI in connection with a deadly crash on Interstate 77 in Chester Sunday, state troopers said. According to the Chester County Coroner's Office, the victim is 7 years old.
The crash happened in the northbound lanes of I-77 when a 2017 Chevrolet van crashed into a 2011 Ford SUV, South Carolina Highway Patrol said. It happened just a few minutes before 5:30 p.m.
“Witnesses had seen the van driving erratically and they were attempting to call it in," T. Melton, Chief at Richburg Fire-Rescue, said. "The wreck happened before they could make the phone call, but they stayed and told [us] what they had witnessed."
The South Carolina Highway Patrol charged Jason Palmer, 35, of Charlotte with felony DUI involving a death. Melton said Palmer’s van hit the back of an SUV with a mom, dad, a 4-year-old and a 7-year-old inside. The 7-year-old died, the Chester County coroner confirmed.
"The frustrating thing about this is it was totally avoidable," Melton said.
He said the scene was so traumatic that some of the first responders couldn’t come to work Monday.
Melton said different decisions, like not getting behind the while while intoxicated, could have changed the outcome of the crash.
“That would have prevented everything yesterday," Melton said. "That family would’ve gotten to go home and everybody would have gotten to go home, had he not gotten behind the wheel... That’s what's so frustrating, we didn’t have to be here talking about it.”
Melton believes this crash was avoidable, but he said traffic and crashes have increased on I-77 in Chester County.
A South Carolina Department of Transportation traffic county shows in 2021, about 11,000 more cars traveled on I-77 near old Richburg Road compared to 10 years ago. The Coroner’s office also shared deaths on this stretch have increased, doubling from two in 2020 and two in 2021, to four so far this year.
“Traffic is incredibly heavy," Melton said. "It’s hard for me to wrap my head around how much traffic is out here because I grew up in this area, I’ve always lived here. I was born when the interstate wasn’t here so it’s really hard for me to realize so many people come through our community.”
Richburg Fire and Rescue is mostly run by volunteers, with just four paid positions. Melton said there’s not enough funding to hire more full-time staff members, but that’s what the department needs to keep up with the changes.
The South Carolina Highway Patrol is continuing to investigate this incident.
Note: WCNC instituted a new policy in March 2021 regarding the broadcast or posting of mugshots.
WCNC will only air or post a mugshot if the person has been formally charged with a crime and in a few other cases. The exceptions include: If it appears the person could be a danger to themselves or others or if they are wanted by authorities; to differentiate between people with a common name; if the photos could encourage more victims to come forward. The news-editorial leadership may also decide to use a mugshot based on the severity of the crime(s) committed and/or the level of public interest in the crime and ensuing criminal proceedings.
WCNC Charlotte is choosing to show the mugshots of the suspects in this case because Palmer is charged in a crash involving a death.