A routine emergency response turned into a serious wreck in Horry County, South Carolina, after a driver reportedly ignored an officer’s lights and siren and turned directly into the path of the oncoming patrol car. The April 5 crash left three people hospitalized and one police vehicle flipped upside down into a tree. State troopers have since placed the blame squarely on the other driver.
The incident happened around 6:50 p.m. in the Bucksport area, along South Highway 701 near Lucas Bay Road. The Horry County officer was heading south at approximately 75 mph in a 55 mph zone, with lights and siren running, on the way to assist Conway police with an active call. What happened next is the kind of scenario that keeps emergency responders up at night.
A 2021 Volkswagen attempted to turn east from Highway 701 onto private property and, according to the South Carolina Highway Patrol report, did not yield to the emergency vehicle. The officer’s patrol car slammed into the driver’s side of the Volkswagen. From there, both vehicles left the roadway, and the damage was significant…