Coroner identifies man who died in collision near Swansea early Sunday

Lexington, SC (Paul Kirby) - Lexington County Coroner Margaret Fisher has identified the man who died in a motor vehicle crashed that occurred early Sunday morning near Swansea. The collision happened in the 1800 block of S.C. Highway 6, near Blackville Road, just before 1:00 a.m. on Sunday, June 7, 2020.

According to the coroner, Juan Carlos Chavero, 38, of Swansea was pronounced dead at the scene due to his injuries. Chavero was driving his pickup on S.C. Hwy 6 when an oncoming vehicle crossed the center line and the two vehicles collided. Chavero was not wearing a seat belt when the crash occurred. The driver of the other vehicle, who was also not wearing a seat belt, was transported to an area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

A close friend of the family said Sunday that Chavero was a wonderful person whose family had legally immigrated to America decades ago. He was a graduated of Swansea High School and worked across South Carolina. “He was always willing to help anyone who need his assistance,” the friend said. “I’ve seen him fix decks and do other repairs to homes for free when people just couldn’t afford to pay for his work. He was a family man and a great person. His family is devastated, they lost a son and father Sunday morning and the Swansea community lost a great man and servant,” he concluded.

The collision is under investigation by the South Carolina Highway Patrol.