SC woman and man killed in crash with tractor trailer on interstate, officials say

Two people were killed and another was hurt when a tractor trailer and a motorcycle crashed, according to the South Carolina Highway Patrol.

The two-vehicle collision happened Sunday in Laurens County, said Master Trooper Brandon Bolt.

At about 10:45 a.m., both a 1998 Suzuki motorcycle and a 2023 Kenworth tractor trailer were driving north on Interstate 385, according to Bolt. At the 16 mile marker of I-385, the tractor trailer hit the rear of the motorcycle and both riders on the Suzuki died, Bolt said.

The Laurens County Coroner’s Office said 38-year-old Lindsey Diane Billings and 55-year-old James Scott Lewis were the motorcycle riders, WYFF reported.

Information about who was driving the motorcycle, and who was the passenger, was not available.

The tractor trailer driver was hurt and taken to an area hospital, Bolt said. Further information on the tractor trailer driver’s condition was not available.

No other injuries were reported.

There was no word if the motorcycle riders were wearing helmets, or if the tractor trailer driver was wearing a seat belt.

Information about what caused the collision was not available, but it continues to be investigated by the Highway Patrol.

Through Sunday, 704 people had died on South Carolina roads in 2023, according to the state Department of Public Safety. Last year, 1,091 people died in crashes in South Carolina, DPS reported.

At least 20 people have died in Laurens County crashes in 2023, according to DPS data. Last year, 24 deaths were reported in the county, DPS reported.