BERKELEY COUNTY, S.C. — Jessica Nicole Way, 31, of Alcolu, was killed Tuesday evening when the GMC SUV she was driving was struck head-on by another SUV that had crossed the center line, authorities said.
The crash occurred around 7 p.m. on U.S. 52 near Butterbean Drive, shortly before sunset. According to South Carolina Highway Patrol, a 2004 Honda SUV traveling east on the road veered left of center and plowed into the westbound 2019 GMC Acadia driven by Way.
Emergency responders pronounced Way dead at the scene, and she was later confirmed as the victim by Berkeley County Coroner’s Office, which is headed by Darnell Hartwell. The driver of the Honda was transported to a nearby hospital; their condition has not been publicly released.
Initial reports mistakenly said Way was driving the Honda, but the coroner’s office later corrected the error: she was indeed driving the GMC that was struck.
Right now, investigators with the State Patrol and the coroner’s office are working to determine the cause of the crash. They’re examining factors like possible driver error, lighting conditions at the time, and whether distracted or impaired driving played a role.
For friends, family, and the wider community in Berkeley County, the sudden, tragic loss of Jessica has hit hard. People familiar with the area say the stretch of U.S. 52 near Butterbean Drive can be deceptively calm — which makes crashes like this feel even more devastating.
As the investigation continues, authorities are urging drivers to be especially careful on rural highway stretches: to stay alert, avoid drifting across center lines, and be mindful of changing light and road conditions after sunset. The hope is that sharing stories like this — painful as they are — might make others pause and drive more carefully.
