Pine Grove, SC (Paul Kirby) – A single vehicle left the road and struck a tree in the 3000 block of Emmanuel Church Rd. early Monday. This is between Old Barnwell Road and Kitti Wake Drive. The force of the impact trapped the driver in the vehicle. Passersby said that the airbags had deployed and there was significant damage to the SUV that was involved.
An off-duty Lexington County battalion chief drove up on the scene and relayed to the county dispatch center that the vehicle had hit the tree hard, and the impact trapped the driver. He also informed them that Emmanuel Church Road would have to be closed. A fire engine, battalion chief, EMS unit, EMS supervisor, and a specially equipped truck with hydraulic tools were responding. The on-duty chief asked for another fire engine to respond when he was notified of the confirmed entrapment.
When the rescue equipment did arrive, the road was closed completely. Firefighters quickly used the hydraulic rescue tools to pry open the driver’s door and free the trapped patient. That injured person was transported by Lexington EMS to a medical facility for treatment.
The SC Highway Patrol is investigating the incident.