At 4:29 a.m. Saturday Oct. 10, Fire-Rescue units were dispatched to the 8800 block of Green Pond Highway (S.C. Highway 303) for a report of a car in the ditch.
The first unit arrived on the dark stretch of rural highway to find a Chevrolet pickup truck on its side with the roof crushed into a power pole.
The roof was pushed down into the seats. The unrestrained 30-year-old male driver was trapped inside.
Firefighter-paramedics could hear the man calling for help, but were unable to gain access to him or see him. T
he power pole was broken approximately halfway up the pole, but no power lines had fallen. The crews called for additional assistance and a medical helicopter.
The truck was traveling south on Green Pond Highway when it dropped off of the right shoulder. The truck’s driver over-corrected, lost control and slid sideways across both lanes of the highway before flipping over and striking the power pole.
Once other Fire-Rescue units arrived, rescue tools were deployed, the vehicle was stabilized and the windshield was removed. Crewmembers gained access to the patient’s lower body and began removing portions of the truck.
After about 30 minutes, they were able to pull the man from the pickup and immobilize him on a backboard. He suffered multiple traumatic injuries.
The CARE Flight helicopter landed in a nearby field and the flight crew was transported to the scene to assist with patient care. The patient was then taken to the waiting helicopter and flown to the Trauma Center at MUSC.
Green Pond Highway in the area of the accident was closed to traffic for five hours and the power was out while Dominion Energy worked on the pole.
The S.C. Highway Patrol is investigating the crash.
