Three People Die In Head On Collision In Sumter County
Every town has its intersections and stretches of road that the local people just know are trouble. Sometimes they bear makeshift memorials, such as the “three wooden crosses” in the famous song. In other cases, the dangers of these unassuming sites in friendly towns live in the memory of the great Southern raconteurs that invariably inhabit such towns; when the alcohol flows at social gatherings, your mother’s uncle recounts the story of the collision in 1956, in front of what was then the general store, of which his childhood friend was the only survivor. In any collision, insurance companies determine which driver was at fault; in comparative negligence states like South Carolina, they often divide the fault between both drivers, and sometimes they even assign some of it to third parties such as a bar where a drunk driver bought drinks before causing the accident. When multiple devastating accidents happen at or near the same place, though, there are often calls for the city to improve conditions in the area in order to prevent future accidents. If you got injured in an accident at an intersection that is the site of frequent collisions, contact a Columbia car accident lawyer.
One of the Victims Was an Airman Stationed at Shaw Air Force Base
One of the main roads leading to Shaw Air Force Base in Sumter County is a frequent site of accidents, and in November 2025, a collision across the street from the base claimed the lives of three young men. A 2021 Subaru collided head on with a 2004 Chevy Trailblazer. The Subaru was traveling west on Broad Street, and the Trailblazer was traveling north on Copley Drive, and the two vehicles collided just after midnight in the intersection in front of the Air Force Base. The driver and passenger of the Trailblazer and the driver of the Subaru were all pronounced dead at the scene of the accident. They were Thomas Arnett, 35, Sebastian Arnett, 33, and Gabriel Hansen, 20. Hansen was an Airman stationed at Shaw Air Force Base.
As of the time of publication of the most recent news reports, the collision was still under investigation; witnesses reported that many police officers and drones were present at the scene to collect evidence. For example, we do not know how fast either of the vehicles was going at the time of impact or whether either of the drivers was under the influence of alcohol or drugs. This intersection has previously been the site of destructive collisions, so it is possible that the city or county might bear some of the responsibility for the accidents. Regardless of the outcome of the investigation, the families of the victims have the right to seek compensation through wrongful death lawsuits.
Let Us Help You Today
The personal injury lawyers at the Stanley Law Group can help you get justice after an accident where vehicles collided head on. Contact The Stanley Law Group in Columbia, South Carolina or call (803)799-4700 for a free initial consultation.
Sources:
wltx.com/article/traffic/3-dead-in-multi-vehicle-crash-in-sumter-broad-street/101-2599ecfe-2c89-4a3c-b585-5bb6e7cc2594
wltx.com/article/news/local/street-squad/sumter/three-killed-overnight-sumter-crash/101-33b09202-faed-4cb8-aa52-b27f16a8fb29
