The South Carolina Highway Patrol and Lowcountry emergency officials responded to two unrelated traffic fatalities in Jasper County over the Labor Day holiday weekend, including one that resulted in the death of a toddler.
On Sunday, Sept. 6, emergency units responded to a one-vehicle crash in the Tillman area of SC Highway 336 and Swift Horse Road around 10:31 p.m. which resulted in one injury and one death.
On Tuesday, Jasper County Coroner Jeremiah Vaigneur identified the deceased passenger as Jassiry Diaz, 20-months-old, of Tillman.
According to the S.C. Highway Patrol's posted collision report, a 2013 Honda Civic was traveling east on SC 336 when it ran off the left side of the road and struck a tree.
There were two occupants in the vehicle,
and both were initially reported as injured and transported for medical attention to Coastal Carolina Medical Center in Hardeeville, but the toddler later succumbed to the injuries on Monday, Sept. 7.
Earlier that same day, emergency units also responded to a one-vehicle crash around 8:20 p.m. along Intestate 95 South near the 28.5 mile marker.
The S.C. Highway Patrol reported that a 2013 Freightliner tractor trailer with one occupant was traveling south when it veered off the road to the right, overturned, struck a guard rail and then struck several trees.
The driver, identified by the J.C. Coroner's Office as Justin Witherspoon, of Lake City, S.C., was pronounced dead on arrival.
Both incidents remain under investigation by the S.C. Highway Patrol.
A third vehicle-involved death that did not involve a collision was also reported over the weekend. On Saturday, Sept. 5, Manuel DeJesus, 44, of Bluffton, was involved in an incident with a dump truck he was working on, reported the Coroner's Office. He was transported to Coastal Carolina, where he later died from those injuries.
The Hardeeville Police Department is investigating this accident.
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Three killed in Jasper County accidents, including a toddler
