One Dead, 4 Injured in James Island Crash

February 17, 2011 - One person was killed and another 4 people were seriously injured in a car accident in James Island on Tuesday. According to a report at Live 5 News, police say the crash may have been less severe if the victims had been wearing their seatbelts.

Deputies with the Charleston County Sheriff's Office say a Ford Explorer SUV was traveling on Folly Road when the driver swerved into oncoming traffic and crashed into a Ford F-250 pickup truck. The driver of the Explorer SUV, a 19-year-old girl, was ejected from the vehicle and pronounced dead at the scene. There were 3 other teenagers riding in the SUV, including two 18-year-old girls and an 18-year-old boy from Charleston. At least one of those victims was ejected from the SUV along with the driver. Two remain in critical condition with life-threatening injuries, while the third victim has been upgraded to fair condition. Deputies say all of the teenagers failed to wear their seatbelts.

The driver of the pickup truck, a 57-year-old man from Raleigh, was also injured, although his condition is currently unknown. The Charleston County Sheriff's Department continues to investigate this serious accident, and no charges have been filed yet. A local animal-rescue organization is looking for a white and black dog that was ejected from the SUV.