The Charleston County Coroner has released the identity of the man who died after two construction vehicles crashed.
Stanley Smith, 70, of North Charleston, died at MUSC from his injuries.
Charleston County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Lexi Douglas says deputies responded to the area of Savannah Highway and Briarcliff Drive in Charleston just after 3 a.m. Wednesday for a crash between the two vehicles.
In a post to X, the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office had said Savannah Highway was shut down south of Avondale Avenue. The roadway was closed for over an hour.
Kendall Hawkins, 45, of Awendaw, Hawkins is charged with two counts of felony DUI resulting in great bodily injury or death.(Al Cannon Detention Center)
Investigators discovered that the driver of one of the vehicles, Kendall Hawkins, 45, of Awendaw, had been headed north on the highway while pulling a trailer with three others on board as they collected traffic cones.
Deputies say Hawkins made an illegal U-turn on the highway and, in the process, turned in front of Rockarius King, 33, of Ladson, who was driving the other construction vehicle, causing the two to crash.
All three passengers were ejected from the trailer and landed in the roadway, which caused serious injuries.
Hawkins, King and those passengers were taken to a hospital for treatment. One of the passengers would later succumb to their injuries.
Hawkins is charged with two counts of felony DUI resulting in great bodily injury or death and King is charged with one count of first-degree DUI and another count of having an open container in a vehicle.
Hawkins was booked into the Al Cannon Detention Center and was being held on a $50,000 bond.
Jail records indicate that King has not yet been booked.
The crash is still under investigation.
Anyone with information regarding this case is urged to contact deputies at 843-202-1700.
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