Lexington, SC (Paul Kirby) – Late Thursday, Lexington County Coroner Margaret Fisher identified the woman who died after a tree fell on her vehicle on I-20 westbound near Lexington Thursday morning. This freak incident occurred at approximately 11:45 a.m. on February 13, 2020.
According to Coroner Fisher, Pamela Adams Powell, 49, of Columbia was traveling at a slow rate of speed on the interstate due to traffic when a tree fell on her vehicle. Powell was transported to an area hospital where she was pronounced dead a short time later due to her injuries.
Meteorologists had predicted that Thursday would be a day of changing weather for the Midlands of South Carolina. Even though Lexington County was not experiencing heavy and widespread thunderstorms at the time, gusting winds were rocking the area as a predicted cold front began moving into our state. These winds could have played a part in causing the tree to fall from its original location near the roadway onto Powell’s vehicle.
The South Carolina Highway Patrol investigated the accident.Their findings have not yet been released.
