Aiken Teen Killed in Morning Crash
An Aiken County teenager was killed in a crash this morning involving one vehicle in Aiken.
The accident was reported at 9:50 a.m. on Green Pond Road near Modoc Lane.
Aiken County Coroner Darryl Ables says 18-year-old Emily Heath died at the scene of the accident.
The South Carolina Highway Patrol says Heath was behind the wheel of an SUV that crossed the centerline on Green Pond Road. Authorities said Heath overcorrected, the vehicle veered off the right side of the road and struck a tree.
The cause of the accident is under investigation.
Aiken County has logged five fatal accidents since the beginning of the year. This was the second one involving a teenager.
Teenager Killed in a Single-Vehicle Wreck in Aiken County January 6
One of the first fatal accidents of the new year in Aiken County involved another teenager.
Aiken County Coroner Darryl Ables says 18-year-old Tanner Miller of Graniteville was the lone occupant of a pickup truck that crashed on Schley Street near Gloverville.
The South Carolina Highway Patrol said Miller lost control of the truck just after midnight, veered off the road, struck a culvert, then a utility pole. The truck flipped, ejecting Miller. Ables said he died at the scene.
Just six hours earlier, a fatal two-vehicle accident was reported on Old Ninety Six Indian Trail, SC 39, at New Holland Road.
Aiken County Coroner Darryl Ables says 39-year-old Christopher Candler lost control of his car around 2 p.m. January 6. His vehicle collided with a 2008 International Bucket Truck on New Holland Road. Candler died at the scene.
The Number of Fatal Accidents Nationwide is on the Rise
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the number of fatal vehicle crashes in each state has risen significantly over the last few years. From 2018 to 2022, the number of deadly accidents in the U.S. increased by more than 16%
Speeding and driving under the influence contributed to a majority of the accidents resulting in death.
