January 14, 2011 – The huge winter storm that battered South Carolina is responsible for a number of traffic accidents, including the death of a Greenwood man on Monday. According to a report at the Charleston Post and Courier, there were thousands of car accidents reported around the state earlier this week. Some areas of South Carolina got up to 9 inches of snow, which was accompanied by ice and frozen roads.
Police say the victim was attempting to navigate an icy road when his car slid down an embankment and crashed. According to the Greenwood County Coroner’s Office, the victim has been identified as a 49-year-old man from Greenwood. The coroner says he died from massive internal injuries and chest trauma.
According to the South Carolina Highway Patrol, officers received reports of more than 2,600 accidents since Sunday. Residents were frustrated about the slow pace of plowing and salting, which made some roads impassable. The government defended its response to the storm, saying that the state deployed 700 pieces of equipment and 1,300 workers. Many residents were also without electricity on Tuesday due to the storm.