Highway 278 collision results in fatality

Bluffton, SC (August 7, 2023, 10:30 a.m. EDT) – A Sunday evening, multi-vehicle collision on Highway 278 at Buckwalter Parkway in Bluffton resulted in a loss of life. Multiple public safety agencies responded to the intersection just after 7:00 p.m.

One individual riding a Honda motorcycle sustained fatal injuries. The driver of a Mercedes SUV was entrapped and had to be removed by firefighters using heavy extrication equipment. Once removed from the vehicle, that individual was transported by ambulance to Memorial Health, in Savannah, with moderate injuries.

The driver of a Toyota sedan was also taken by ambulance to Memorial Health for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries. Other vehicles involved in the incident encountered minor damage, but their occupants did not require medical treatment.

Firefighters from Bluffton Township Fire District stations 35 (Fording Island Rd. Headquarters) and 38 (Hampton Parkway), along with the Bluffton Police Department, South Carolina Highway Patrol, Beaufort County EMS, and Beaufort County Coroner’s Office worked at the collision scene until late Sunday night when the road was eventually reopened to traffic.

The collision remains under investigation by South Carolina Highway Patrol and the Beaufort County Coroner’s Office.