Detention officer was among 3 killed when their vehicle crashed while evading authorities
Nov 22, 2024
MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. (WCBD) – Three people who died following a pursuit on Hungry Neck Boulevard were identified Friday morning.
Scott Tucker, 20, Dennis Bernard, 20, and Jaden Geathers, 19, all from the Summerville area, died from blunt force injuries after their vehicle left the roadway and crashed into a tree.
According to a Charleston County Sheriff's Office report, an officer attempted to stop the vehicle on the Isle of Palms around 1:30 a.m. Thursday after it struck a median. The officer reported the driver appeared impaired and the car's lights were off.
The occupants sped off and continued to evade law enforcement as they traveled into Mount Pleasant, reaching speeds of over 100 mph.
A sheriff's office deputy followed the vehicle but was unable to catch up to it due to "reckless and egregious driving," the report states.
The deputy stated he lost sight of the vehicle as it passed Hazen Court, but shortly discovered it had crashed into a line of trees in the 1000 block of Hungry Neck Boulevard.
Tucker and Bernard died at the scene while Geathers was later pronounced dead at the Medical University of South Carolina.
The Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office said Tucker was a detention officer. He was sworn into the service on March 4.