York Co. family involved in fatal Kershaw Co. crash was traveling to the beach

A Rock Hill woman says her family is lucky to be alive after their SUV was hit head-on Monday in a Kershaw County crash that killed the other driver.

Fred Sheheen, former head of the state Commission on Higher Education and the father of state Sen. Vincent Sheheen, D-Camden, died in Monday’s crash, which happened about 2:30 p.m. on S.C. 97 at Sailing Club Road in Kershaw County.

Troopers say Sheheen, 79, was traveling north in his 1997 Isuzu pickup and tried to turn left onto Sailing Club Road, striking a southbound 2000 Lexus SUV driven by Rock Hill resident Sara Jackson.

Raychel Jackson said Tuesday that they were en route to Myrtle Beach in her sister’s SUV. Also in the car were their mother, who lives in Hickory Grove, and Sara Jackson’s two children, ages 2 and 4. Jackson said she remembers nothing about the wreck.

“I remember laughing with the family,” she said. “We were laughing about stuff. And I remember waking up and my head hit the windshield.”

All five of them were taken to Palmetto Health Richland in Columbia. They still knew very little on Tuesday about what happened in the crash, Jackson said, adding that they saw the front end of the SUV “completely smashed.” Her mother and sister were still hospitalized and underwent surgery Tuesday afternoon.

Jackson said she had a cut on her head from hitting the windshield, and her sister’s two children suffered minor injuries.

“They’re fine,” she said. “They had a little bit of burns from the seat belts, but other than that they’re running around today.”

Jackson said it wasn’t clear Tuesday how long her sister and mother would remain in the hospital. She said the support from friends and family has been “unreal.”

“We are getting constant calls, constant offers of help,” she said. “Whatever we need done, everybody’s there. We have a great support system.”

She added that they’re asking people to pray for their family and the Sheheen family.

“Just pray,” she said. “We’re accepting all prayers. Thanks to everyone for all the support.”

A political adviser for state Sen. Vincent Sheheen said Monday that the senator’s youngest son, Anthony, was a passenger in his grandfather’s truck when the crash occurred. He was treated for injuries and is expected to make a full recovery.

Cassie Cope of The State contributed.

This story was originally published June 7, 2016 at 5:54 PM with the headline "York Co. family involved in fatal Kershaw Co. crash was traveling to the beach."