Darlington, SC (WLTX) - Orange paint and skid marks is all that’s left of an accident that killed three generations of family members from the same car.
"I don’t remember in my life time there being a collision in a single car accident where five people lost their lives," said Darlington county coroner Todd Hardee says there were 11 people packed into a Chevrolet trailblazer.
"One of the people in the family was pregnant and went into labor, as I’m told, and the family got into the automobile to go to the hospital," Hardee said.
Hardee believes the driver, 52-year-old Leonard Rouse, lost control of the car.
"It appears the car probably left the roadway and they overcorrected and the car began to roll over and over," Hardee said.
With each roll, Hardee says all eleven of them were ejected from the car.
"All the windows were out, and as it rolled whatever position they were in the car is how they would exit the window there," Hardee said.
Among the deceased were the driver, a 14-year-old girl, a 28-year-old woman and her unborn child, and another unborn child.
Family and friends of the victims came by throughout the day to see the area and gather their scattered belongings.
"It’s a deep tragedy for our community," said Hardee.
The surviving victims of the accident are said to have been taken to McLeod hospital in serious condition.