A 17-year-old Summerville resident died Wednesday afternoon in a two-vehicle crash in Berkeley County, according to the Berkeley County Coroner’s Office.
Coroner Darnell Hartwell identified the teen as Jayln Gilliard and described the incident as an accident in a Thursday news release.
Head-On Collision on S.C. 402
The crash occurred around 3:55 p.m. on S.C. 402 near the intersection with Governors Lane in the Huger area, according to Master Trooper Mitchell Ridgeway of the South Carolina Highway Patrol.
Authorities said Gilliard was driving a 2017 Hyundai sedan westbound when the vehicle crossed left of the center line and collided head-on with a 2022 Ford pickup traveling east. Gilliard, who was not wearing a seatbelt, died at the scene. The pickup driver was not injured, and no other injuries were reported.
Investigation Ongoing
Officials have not said what caused the Hyundai to veer into oncoming traffic. The crash remains under investigation by the Highway Patrol and the coroner’s office.
According to data from the South Carolina Department of Public Safety, 75 people had died on South Carolina roads in 2026 as of Monday. In 2025, at least 914 people were killed in traffic collisions statewide, including 34 in Berkeley County alone.
