A 2018 Kia Optima left a trail of destruction along Cates Bay Highway in Horry County early Sunday morning, striking a ditch, a brick sign, several trees and a fence. The driver, identified as 39-year-old Travis Long of Conway, South Carolina, died in the crash.
The collision happened around 1:59 a.m. on November 1, near Johnson Street. According to the South Carolina Highway Patrol, the Kia was traveling southbound when it was involved in an attempt to evade law enforcement.
The vehicle then left the roadway and struck a ditch. Its path continued into a brick sign before the Kia hit several trees and eventually crashed into a fence. The series of impacts ended in a fatal single-vehicle crash.
Long was the only occupant of the car. No other occupants were reported, and authorities identified him as the sole person involved in the collision.
The crash initially left the driver’s identity to be confirmed. On Tuesday, Chief Deputy Coroner Tamara Willard identified the deceased driver as Travis Long, 39, of Conway.
The circumstances surrounding the crash have drawn attention to the reported attempt to evade law enforcement before the vehicle left the road. However, authorities have not released further details explaining what happened before the collision.
The South Carolina Highway Patrol is investigating the incident to establish the circumstances surrounding the crash. No additional findings have been announced.
For Long’s family and loved ones, the investigation is only one part of what is now a difficult reality. A Sunday morning drive ended in a fatal collision, and a 39-year-old Conway resident is gone.
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