A 19-year-old Rock Hill man was in jail Saturday after police say he struck two motorcycles, killing a Lancaster woman and sending two others to a hospital.
Authorities charged Michael Walker Reid, 19, of 408 Homeplace Road with felony driving under the influence involving a death and two counts of felony DUI involving great bodily injury, said Cpl. Bryan McDougald of the S.C. Highway Patrol. A judge denied Reid's bond, officials said.
"Alcohol is a factor," McDougald said. "Speed is believed to be a factor."
York County interim coroner Sabrina Gast said the name of the deceased Lancaster motorcyclist was not available, pending family notification.
The woman died at the scene, Gast said.
Ronald Herring, 52, and his motorcycle passenger, Barbara Herring, 48, both of 2922 Starnes Road, were flown to Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, McDougald said.
Barbara Herring and Ronald Herring were listed in critical condition Saturday night, a hospital spokeswoman said.
The collision happened around 4:20 p.m. Saturday on Lesslie Highway at the intersection of Springdale Road.
The 1995 Harley Davidson motorcycle driven by the Lancaster woman and the Herrings' 1998 Harley Davidson motorcycle traveled northbound on Lesslie Highway and approached the intersection of Springdale Road, McDougald said. Reid, driving a 1994 Dodge pickup truck, approached behind them, McDougald said.
"They were in the process of stopping for the intersection," McDougald said about the motorcyclists. "The pickup truck traveling north approached the motorcyclists from the rear. The pickup truck struck the rear of the motorcycles."
Officials could not say how fast Reid was traveling. The speed limit for the area is 45 mph, McDougald said.
"The pickup truck did not slow or stop," said McDougald, who would not say if alcohol was found in Reid's pickup truck.
None of the motorcyclists wore helmets, he said.
The Lancaster woman's death marks the third fatality this Memorial Day weekend for the state highway patrol's troop four, which includes York, Chester, Lancaster and Cherokee counties. A wreck in Cherokee County on Friday claimed two other lives, according to the state highway patrol.
The period from Memorial Day to Labor Day is considered the 100 deadliest days of the year in South Carolina because of the number of highway fatalities.
As of Thursday, 377 people had died on South Carolina roads this year, according to the state highway safety office. That's down from 405 people who died on state roads through the same time last year.
Reid remained in custody Saturday night at York County Detention Center.
