Troopers: Driver in Lancaster crash fell asleep at wheel

A sleepy driver was the cause of a single-vehicle collision that shut down part of U.S. 521 for several hours Thursday, according to the S.C. Highway Patrol.

The collision happened just after 5 a.m. when the driver of a southbound Chevrolet Avalanche fell asleep at the wheel, said Lance Cpl. Gary Miller, a spokesman for the Highway Patrol. The pickup exited the right side of the roadway and struck a utility pole and two fences.

The driver, a 41-year-old Lancaster man, was wearing a seatbelt and was not injured, Miller said. He was charged with driving too fast for conditions.

A portion of U.S. 521 near North Shiloh Unity Road was closed for several hours but reopened about 3 p.m. Miller said there were no other passengers in the truck and no other vehicles involved.

This story was originally published May 21, 2015 at 7:51 AM with the headline "Troopers: Driver in Lancaster crash fell asleep at wheel."