Two men were injured, one seriously, in a head-on collision on Cottageville Highway (U.S. Highway 17-A) south of Phillips Road on Wednesday March 4 at 6:09 a.m.
The accident occurred when a southbound Nissan Murano crossed the center line and struck a northbound Dodge pickup truck head-on. The collision caused heavy damage to both vehicles and blocked the highway.
Both drivers were wearing seatbelts.
The driver of the pickup truck received minor injuries, was treated at the scene by firefighter-paramedics, then transported by ambulance to Colleton Medical Center.
The driver of the Nissan suffered multiple traumatic injuries and was trapped in the wreckage. Firefighter-paramedics began treating the man while other crewmembers used rescue tools to free him.
A medical helicopter was requested and CARE Flight flew to the scene, landing in a field across from the accident. Once freed, the man was immobilized, then transported by ambulance to the field to meet with the flight crew. He was flown from the scene to the Trauma Center at Trident Hospital in North Charleston.
Sheriff’s deputies detoured traffic for about an hour until the vehicles could be removed from the highway.
The S.C. Highway Patrol is investigating the accident.
