South Bound Interstate 95 was closed Combahee River for an hour following a high-speed accident involving a semi-truck that struck a tree. The accident occurred Monday afternoon, April 22 near the 40 mile marker. It was originally reported in Colleton County but was actually just south of the Colleton/Hampton County line placing the accident in Hampton County. Hampton County Fire units requested mutual aid for the extrication. The Freightliner truck, pulling a 53’ trailer loaded with fiberglass, left the roadway at a high rate of speed, went down the embankment and struck a large pine tree in the median. The truck and trailer suffered massive damage with the 53’ trailer breaking apart. The cab wrapped around the tree with the unrestrained driver being heavily entrapped approximately 10 feet off the ground. Colleton County Firefighter-Paramedics and Hampton County EMS used a variety of rescue tools to gain access to the driver who survived the collision, the extraction took 15 minutes. The CARE Flight medical helicopter landed at the accident site on I-95. The patient required advanced airway care prior to departing the scene. CARE Flight flew the man to the Trauma Center at Trident Medical Center in North Charleston. The SC Highway Patrol and Transport Police are investigating the accident.
