Fatal Wreck Begins 'Deadliest Weekend' of Year

ST. GEORGE — A man died on Horse Trail Road between I-95 and Highway 15 early Saturday morning when his pickup ran off the road, he overcorrected and hit a tree.

Joshua Sweatman, 19, of St. George was killed from a cervical spine fracture due to being ejected from the vehicle, the Dorchester County coroner reported. According to S.C. Highway Patrol, Sweatman was not wearing a seatbelt. He was travelling north toward the interstate.

According to a Facebook profile that matches the victim's description, Sweatman graduated from Summerville High in 2011, and was a welder with Detyens Shipyard. 

Labor Day weekend has been called one of the deadliest weekends of the year. According to SafeMotorist.com, one of the first days in September is in the top 10 deadliest days of the year on the roads.

This weekend, Highway Patrol and State Transport Police will place a special emphasis on interstate travel as motorists enjoy one last summer holiday. The State Transport Police will focus on commercial motor vehicle safety and compliance. Last year, seven people died over the 102-hour Labor Day weekend.

S.C. Department of Public Safety is wrapping up its 100 Days of Summer Campaign, focusing on safety. Results of that campaign may be the 33 fewer fatalities over the last 100 days, compared with 2011 data.

As of Aug. 29, there have been 523 fatalities this year compared to 542 last year.

“We want travelers to be aware that we will saturate congested areas of interstates with enforcement to prevent any further summer tragedies,” SCHP Col. Mike Oliver said. “I will be out there, along with my command staff and troopers who are normally assigned to administrative office duties. Our goal is for motorists to see us and adjust their driving behavior accordingly.”

Updated 10:15 a.m. Sept. 1 to add information from the coroner.