By Heather Ruppe
A baby who was properly strapped into a car seat survived a head-on collision in rural Colleton County that included one car going airborne and flipping several times.
Local rescue personnel with Colleton County Fire-Rescue were called to S.C. Highway 64 on Saturday morning near Stephens Crossroads where the crash occurred.
One of the vehicles – a Toyota RAV4 – was in the westbound lane when it left the roadway and went into the opposite lane. The vehicle then struck a driveway culvert and became airborne. The RAV4 struck a second driveway culvert and flipped at least three times, according to Colleton County Fire-Rescue Chief Barry McRoy.
The driver of the car and a passenger in the vehicle were both ejected. According to McRoy, neither the driver nor the passenger was wearing a seat belt.
“The adult male patient was found in the ditch approximately 30 feet from the car. He suffered multiple traumatic injuries,” McRoy said. “The unrestrained female was ejected and the car landed upright on top of her. She was trapped under the car, and also suffered from multiple traumatic injuries and burns from the hot engine and exhaust system.”
Firefighter-paramedics found a two-month-old baby still strapped in his car seat in the back seat of the car. The baby was in stable condition.
“Firefighter-paramedics treated all three patients and used low pressure air bags to lift the car off the woman,” said McRoy.
Both the man and the woman were taken by ambulances to Bells Elementary School, where they placed into two medical helicopters to be transported to the Trauma Center at MUSC in Charleston. The baby was transported by ambulance to the Children’s Trauma Center at MUSC.
The S.C. Highway Patrol is investigating the crash.
