Tuesday, June 7, 2016

Coroner: 2nd teen dies after single-vehicle Greenville Co. crash onto a tree


 Posted: Jun 05, 2016 10:12 PM EST Updated: Jun 05, 2016 10:12 PM
By Heather Carpenter


Rojas (Source: School officials)
TAYLORS, SC (FOX Carolina) -

The coroner said Monday a second person has died from injuries from a crash that occurred on Friday.

The accident happened at 10:22 p.m. Friday on Tanner Road.

Troopers say the driver was not wearing a seat belt and was trapped after the 2010 Nissan Sentra he was driving went off the right shoulder, over corrected, went back off the left shoulder and struck a tree.

The driver was taken to Greenville Memorial Hospital and was pronounced dead on Sunday, troopers say. The coroner identified the driver as 18-year-old William Barksdale of View Circle.

His cause of death is pending an external examination, the coroner said.

On Monday, the coroner said a 17-year-old passenger in the vehicle, Valentina Rojas of Edwards Road, also succumbed to her injuries. Rojas died just after 10:30 p.m. Sunday at the hospital.

Rojas graduated from Wade Hampton High School on Wednesday, June 1. Rojas was active in Wade Hampton’s ROTC program and had enlisted in the Air Force, according to school officials.

Officials said William Barksdale, 18, who was also killed in the wreck, was enrolled in Greenville County Schools Satellite Diploma program through January 2016.

Another passenger was also taken to Greenville Memorial Hospital.

A car wash fundraiser will be held on Saturday for the teens' families. More information here.

The crash remains under investigation.  Typically these types of accidents occur when the driver is speeding or is under the influence of alcohol or drugs.  Unless of course it was a medical emergency.

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