Spartanburg County Shaken by Multiple Crash Deaths
Monday turned out to be a dark day for residents of Spartanburg County, South Carolina as separate traffic accidents claimed three lives and injured two, according to local law enforcement reports.
The day began with a collision between a Nissan Maxima and a motorcycle on South Church Street around 10:30 a.m. The reports state that the Nissan was turning onto Bomar Avenue while the Harley-Davidson motorcycle was going north on South Church Street.
Tragically, the 53-year-old motorcyclist suffered a fatal accident when he was thrown off his vehicle during the crash. Authorities have identified him as Billy Keith Stevens. Despite the grave outcome for Stevens, the driver of the Nissan Maxima did not sustain any injuries. However, this resulted in the driver being charged with a failure to yield right of way. While it wasn’t confirmed if the driver was wearing a seat belt, no additional injuries were reported in this mishap.
Second Crash Incident Unfolds
A few hours later, another fatal incident unfolded in Spartanburg County, which was unrelated to the morning accident. The sequence of events led to a grim head-on collision involving a Kia Sportage SUV and a Buick Lucerne.
As per the information from the authorities, the accident happened around 3:40 p.m. on S.C. 417, near Chicken Foot Creek Road, around 13 miles away from the site of the first crash. According to reports, the Kia drove over the center line and hit the northbound Buick Lucerne.
The unfortunate circumstances led to both drivers, Elder Eddie Bellew (67) of the Kia and Charles Litke (92) of the Buick, losing their lives. Adding to the somber news, there was also a report of an injured passenger in both the vehicles who were rushed to a nearby hospital. As of this time, there has been no update on the current condition of these passengers.
A Tragic State of Affairs
It is worth reflecting on a chilling statistic that indicated a total of 846 fatalities on the roads of South Carolina this year, with the figures for the previous year being even higher at 1,030, as per the state Department of Public Safety. Entailing further concern is Spartanburg County’s record of a minimum of 55 deaths due to crashes in 2024, making it second in the state for the highest number of fatalities.
Further details on what led to the Kia swerving into the oncoming traffic are awaited. It is also currently unclear if the victims involved were wearing seat belts. With the ongoing investigation, more insights into these tragic occurrences should become available soon.
During this stage of a developing news story, precise facts might be hard to determine. However, this information shared with the public is an attempt to be swift and accurate, subject to further updates as they unfold.
As such, for real-time news and more on local stories, stay tuned for future updates on this story as we aim to bring forward the latest and most reliable information.
