BOILING SPRINGS, S.C. (WSPA) – A report from the South Carolina Highway Patrol reveals that speed is a contributing factor in the crash that killed 4 USC Upstate Student athletes in October.
The report says that, James Campbell, from Greenville, was the driver of the car hauling the four other college students.
The report says the car was traveling towards Highway 9 on 4th Street 40 miles over the speed limit. The car was traveling 65 miles per hour in a 25 miles per hour zone, according to the report.
The report also says that excessive speed caused Campbell to run off the right side of the road and hit 4th street.
The four deaths and one injury were students who played sports for the university – tennis, cross country and soccer. Those who died in the crash were Joshua Lee, age 20, who lived near Glendale within Spartanburg County, James Campbell, who was driving, Horace Miller Sproull IV of Birmingham, Ala. and Sarah Vande Berg, officials said.
Felicia Ahlborg, 20, of Sweden, survived the crash.
Campbell, a junior, was a native of Greenville and was a member of the Spartans men’s soccer team. As a soccer player at J.L. Mann High School, he helped his team to a 3A State Championship in 2010 and a 4A title in 2012. Campbell graduated in 2013 and played soccer at Marshall University. He transferred to play at USC Upstate in January.
Vande Berg was from Zephyrhills, Fla. and was a member of the women’s tennis team. Sarah played tennis at Zephyrhills High School where she served as team captain and lettered all four years. She was a senior at USC Upstate majoring in communication.
Boiling Springs Fire Department says they are constantly responding to 4th street for crashes. The South Carolina Department of Public Safety says there have been 220 wrecks on 4th street in the last 5 years.
Spartanburg County has been focusing on improving 4th street for years. They hope to straighten and flatten 4th street, along with connecting the intersection of Hanging Rock Road and Valley Falls Road.
The Department of Public Safety says the average speed of drivers on 4th Street is around 45 miles per hour in a 25 mile per hour zone.
Spartanburg County says a lack of funding is stopping them from starting the first project on their list. Right now they only have $700,000 of the 3 Million needed for the project.
The toxicology results for the four students have not been released by Spartanburg County coroner Rusty Clevenger because some family members do not want them released. Clevenger is waiting for the Attorney General to offer counsel about whether the reports can be released to the public. The Attorney General has received that request but has not responded as of Thursday.
