Andre Tyrone Eason — a 30-year-old Augusta, Georgia resident — died in the accident, Lexington County Coroner Margaret Fisher said.
The multi-vehicle collision happened at about 9:45 near the 61 mile marker on I-20, according to Master Trooper William Bennett of the South Carolina Highway Patrol. That’s in Lexington, near the Richland County line as well as Exit 61 — which is the junction with U.S. 378.
Eason had been in a 2020 Dodge Ram that was driving east on I-20 when the enclosed trailer it was hauling came loose, officials said.
The pickup truck was disabled on I-20 as Eason and another person, identified as a pedestrian, were outside of the vehicle as they tried to reattach the trailer, according to Bennett.
At the same time, a 2017 Jeep Cherokee was driving east on I-20 and tried to change lanes to avoid hitting the disabled pickup, Bennett said. But the SUV was hit in the rear by an eastbound 1998 Dodge Ram, causing the Cherokee to crash into the trailer which then collided with Eason and the other pedestrian, according to Bennett.
Eason died at the scene, Fisher said.
The other pedestrian and the drivers of the SUV and the 1998 pickup were injured and taken to an area hospital, according to Bennett. Fisher said that the drivers’ injuries were not considered life-threatening, but further information on their conditions, as well as the pedestrian’s, was not available.
Bennett said the drivers were the only people in those vehicles, and no other injuries were reported.
There was no word if either of the drivers were wearing seat belts.
All of the eastbound lanes on I-20 were temporarily blocked, and the scene wasn’t cleared until after 3 p.m., according to the South Carolina Department of Transportation.
Both the Highway Patrol and coroner’s office are continuing to investigate the crash.
Through Monday, 172 people had died on South Carolina roads in 2024, according to the state Department of Public Safety. Last year, 999 people died in crashes in South Carolina, DPS reported.
At least 13 people have died in Lexington County crashes in 2024, according to DPS data. There were 45 deaths reported in the county in 2023, DPS reported.