Joseph T. Ray Obituary, Death: South Carolina man killed, another driver hospitalized after crash, officials report.
Joseph T. Ray Obituary, Death – A South Carolina man, Joseph T. Ray, 35, of Saluda, passed away on November 15 at Lexington Medical Center, three days after sustaining critical injuries in a two-vehicle collision that also left another driver injured, according to Saluda County Coroner Keith Turner.
The accident occurred on the morning of November 12 at around 5:45 a.m. at the intersection of U.S. 178 (Batesburg Highway) and Duncan Road in Batesburg-Leesville, near W.W. King Academy. Master Trooper William Bennett of the South Carolina Highway Patrol reported that Ray was driving a 2005 Chevrolet pickup truck north on Duncan Road. At the intersection, his truck collided with a 2010 Jeep traveling east on U.S. 178.
The impact caused both vehicles to veer off the left side of the roadway. The Chevy ended up in a ditch, while the Jeep overturned. Ray, the sole occupant of the pickup, was transported to Lexington Medical Center, where he succumbed to his injuries three days later.
The driver of the Jeep, who was also the only occupant of their vehicle, was hospitalized. However, no updates on their condition were provided. No other injuries were reported in the incident.
Details regarding what caused the crash remain under investigation, and it was not confirmed whether either driver was wearing a seatbelt at the time of the collision.
This tragic incident contributes to a growing number of fatalities on South Carolina’s roads in 2024. As of November 10, at least 837 people have died in traffic accidents across the state, according to data from the Department of Public Safety (DPS). In 2023, the total number of road fatalities in South Carolina reached 1,030. Saluda County has recorded at least six traffic-related deaths so far this year, as per DPS figures.
