A calm Tuesday evening was altered after they heard about the tragic loss of Jessica Nicole Way, 31, of Alcolu, who was found dead on U.S. 52 near Butterbean Drive.
The road was starting to get dim as the sun set, a period when neighbors say can feel deceptively peaceful.
According to the investigators, they shared information on how a 2004 Honda SUV traveling eastward suddenly intersected the center line and struck the 2019 GMC Acadia vehicle that Jessica was driving. Emergency officials rushed to the scene, but Jessica died at the scene.
Initially, the initial report got confused about which driver was in which vehicle, but the investigators later clarified the error. The deceased was behind the wheel of the GMC when it was hit. Those close to her portrayed her as someone warm and steady, who always followed up on others before herself. For numerous citizens in Berkley County, her death feels painfully sudden. People who knew the road say the area’s calm appearance always hides how dangerous the bend can be.
The South Carolina Highway Patrol is still looking into whether it was an error from the driver, lighting circumstances, or impairment that played a role. As the neighborhood mourns, local officers encouraged the drivers to remain conscious on the rural highways, hoping that people might learn from Jessica’s story.
