CHESTER COUNTY, S.C. — The man who lost his trailer on Interstate 77 and caused a serious crash earlier this month is now facing charges, Channel 9 learned this week.
The crash happened on July 8 between Mt. Holly Road and Lancaster Highway, according to the South Carolina Highway Patrol. A trailer became disconnected from the pickup truck and then glided across the median of the highway before hitting several vehicles.
It was even caught on camera:
Channel 9′s Tina Terry learned that the driver is facing charges including leaving the scene after inflicting great bodily injury.
The crash is also drawing attention to South Carolina laws, with some saying there’s not enough to prevent crashes involving trailers.
That includes drivers like Michael Roberson, who says he always goes the extra mile to make sure any trailer he pulls is secure.
“I pull a trailer myself, and I have a tow kit,” Roberson said.
But he knows that’s not the case with every driver.
“I had an experience recently where a truck was in front of me with a trailer, and he turned, and could I have seen signals on the truck, I wouldn’t have swerved, ‘cause there were no signals on the trailer,” he told Terry.
Back in 2013, advocates for tougher state laws started petitioning lawmakers, asking them to pass a bill that would prevent deaths by requiring brake lights and turn signals on trailers. They also pushed to have trailers inspected.
That legislation never passed.
After the incident earlier this month sent three people to the hospital, two state lawmakers say they’re taking a closer look at the issue.
“I feel like there’s some opportunities there to drill down a little deeper for safety issues,” said state Rep. Tommy Pope of Rock Hill.
Roberson says he hopes the conversation will lead to change.
“There should be some kind of regulation, or more regulation,” he said.
Channel 9 learned that the two people with the most serious injuries following the trailer crash have since been released from the hospital.
(WATCH: ‘Already too late’: Family survives chain-reaction crash caused by detached trailer)
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