NEWBERRY, S.C. — What began as an ordinary Tuesday turned tragic when 87-year-old James Pratt Schumpert of Newberry lost his life in a severe two-vehicle collision at the intersection of C.R. Koon Highway and Shrine Club Road.
Schumpert was riding as a front-seat passenger in a 2018 Cadillac sedan that attempted to cross U.S. 76 via Boyds Crossing Road, according to investigators with the South Carolina Highway Patrol (SCHP). The Cadillac was struck by a westbound 2005 Chevrolet Silverado. The impact was so forceful the Silverado overturned, while the Cadillac careened off the road, crashing into a fence, a trailer, a parked car — even a building — before coming to rest.
Emergency crews arrived swiftly. Paramedics pronounced Schumpert dead at the scene. The drivers of both vehicles — the Cadillac and the Silverado — were transported to nearby hospitals for treatment; officials have not yet released their conditions.
As is routine in sudden or unexpected deaths, the Newberry County Coroner’s Office has ordered an autopsy to confirm the exact cause of death.
SCHP and local coroner investigators are digging deeper into the crash. They plan to review evidence from the scene, examine traffic and road conditions at the time of the crash, and interview witnesses — but so far, they have not confirmed whether weather, speed, or mechanical failure played a role.
The community is reeling. For many in Newberry, Schumpert was more than an elderly resident — he was a familiar, longtime face around town. Neighbors, friends, and family are mourning deeply, gathering to remember his life and to call for safer roads in his memory.
As officials prepare to release more information, the tragedy serves as a stark reminder: at any moment, life can change — and the smallest decision at the wheel can carry heavy consequences.
