February 10, 2012

Investigation continues into mother/daughter drownings

Funeral services were held Friday afternoon for a mother and daughter found in a submerged car in Lake Greenwood this past week. A report released Thursday indicated that both drowned to death. But the case isn’t over yet.

Jennifer Diana Jones, 36, and her 14-year-old daughter Alicia, both of Greenwood, were found in the back seat of their car, more than 75 feet from shore, under 11 feet of water. Investigators say there was an air pocket at the top of the rear passenger compartment.

Jones boyfriend, Johnathan Brett Hanna, told deputies that on Sunday night, Jones had dropped him off in Cross Hill. Authorities say Jones was angry with him when she drove away, and that she was unfamiliar with the area. Hanna is not a suspect.

But there are questions in the case. Coroner Nick McNichols says to get the car from the end of the paved road by way of the rough non-paved road and well into the water was not an easy task.  And he says before the car could get into the water, it had to go over a dirt barrier wall around the lake, which is approximatelly three-feet high.

SLED is assisting the Laurens County Sheriff’s Office and the Department of Natural Resources in the investigation.

Memorials may be made to the Shriners Hospital for Children in Greenville or to Alicia’s class at West View Middle School in Greenwood.

Deer-auto collision deaths down from last year

The number of deaths resulting from car collisions with deer and other animals in 2008 dropped by more than two-thirds over the previous year.

The South Carolina Department of Public Safety reports that last year there were 2 deaths due to deer and other animal collisions in 2008. There were also 1,063 injuries as a result of 3,549 collisions. Charleston County topped the list again in 2008 with the 270 collisions and Horry County had the highest number of injuries at 61. The Deaths from an auto collision with deer or other animal occurred in Anderson and Spartanburg Counties.

According to the South Carolina Insurance News Service of insurance companies who track deer collisions in the state, there were more than 20,000 claims last year with an average claim totaling approximately $1,750.

During the fall and winter months, deer migration and mating season increase the chance of being in a deer-vehicle collision.

Funeral services set for Laurence Manning student

Funeral services have been set for Laurence Manning Academy student Ashlie Pipkin, who died Wednesday of what preliminary reports are saying is pneumonia and possible complications from the H1 N1 virus.

Sumter County Coroner, Harvin Bullock says that they are waiting on the autopsy report from the forensic lab in Newberry. Bullock also says that it may be Monday before get a report by the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control.

Pipkinwas a fifth grade student at Laurence Manning. According to Dr. Anna Kathryn Rye, a pediatric inffectious disease physician at Palmetto Health Richland, Pipkin had underlying asthma issues that put her at a higher risk for complications. Medical professionals are urging parents to remain calm, stressing that the H1 N1 virus is not a great threat to otherwise healthy children.

A memorial service for Ashlie is scheduled for Saturday at Laurence Manning Academy at 1pm.

The school has been closed since Tuesday over fears of the flu. Reports say that over 200 students missed class Monday, and 280 were out of class Tuesday — this out of about 1,000 students that attend the private school.

The Academy will reopen on Monday.

Motorist charged in state trooper death

A motorist has been charged after allegedly causing an accident that resulted in the death of a state trooper. 

The patrolman was killed during a memorial motorcycle ride in Kershaw County, for another trooper who was also killed during duty. Highway Patrolman Jonathan Nash, 41-year-old was helping to provide an escort near Camden for the charity ride. Officials say patrol vehicles taking part in the procession had their lights activated as they traveled.

The Richland County Sheriff’s Department handled the investigation because there were several Kershaw County deputies and other state troopers taking part in the ride. Investigators reconstructed the accident.

Richland Deputy Monique Mack says 79-year-old Audrey Barfield of Camden is being charged with failure to yield right-of-way because she turned directly into Nash’s motorcycle. 

Mack says, “He was the sixth motorcycle in a string of motorcycles that had passed by.  We know that Ms. Barfield made a left turn into the parking lot of the supermarket, and when she made that left turn, she turned right into trooper Nash’s motorcycle – actually knocking him through the intersection.”

Nash’s funeral was held Wednesday and was attended by hundreds of troopers and officers from several states, WYFF4 in Greenville reports.

Report questions contributions to McMaster

The Associated Press is reporting that state Attorney General Henry McMaster may have violated state law by accepting campaign donations from private lawyers he hired to pursue the case against drug manufacturer Eli Lilly and Company. Campaign records and contracts reviewed by A.P. show that two attorneys McMaster hired in 2006 to help sue the company donated $7,000 to his campaign between June 2007 and March 2009.

Responding to a question e-mailed by a citizen during the first Republican gubernatorial debate in Newberry Tuesday night, McMaster said he does take campaign contributions from attorneys he has hired.

“Yes! As Attorney General it falls to me to select lawyers to represent the state of South Carolina and its agencies. They have to come through my office. There are a lot of lawyers and non-lawyers that make contributions to me and my opponents.” [Read more...]