News Summary
A 63-year-old man from Salley, South Carolina, Robert Stempel, has died following a single-vehicle accident on South Dixie Road. His vehicle veered off the road and struck a tree, leading to severe injuries. Despite being airlifted to Prisma Health, he was pronounced dead shortly after arrival. Authorities are investigating the circumstances of the crash, as South Carolina faces a troubling number of traffic fatalities this year.
Aiken County, South Carolina –
A 63-year-old man from Salley, South Carolina, has died following a single-vehicle crash that occurred on Thursday afternoon. Robert Stempel was operating a 2003 Chevrolet Avalanche pickup truck when the accident took place around 4:15 p.m. on South Dixie Road, just near the intersection with Jordan Creek Road.
According to preliminary reports, Stempel’s vehicle veered off the left side of the road before colliding with a tree. The impact caused the truck to flip over. Emergency services airlifted Stempel to Prisma Health Richland hospital due to the severity of his injuries. Unfortunately, he was pronounced dead at the hospital shortly after arriving at 6:13 p.m. on the same day.
Fortunately, no other injuries were reported in connection with the crash. The South Carolina Highway Patrol and the Aiken County Coroner’s Office are currently conducting an investigation into the incident to determine the cause of the vehicle veering off the road. As of now, the coroner’s office has not confirmed whether Stempel was wearing his seat belt at the time of the crash. Additionally, toxicology tests are pending, and the results have yet to be released.
Traffic Safety in South Carolina
This incident adds to the alarming statistics regarding road safety in South Carolina. As of July 27, 2025, at least 484 fatalities have occurred on the state’s roads this year alone. Comparatively, throughout the entirety of 2024, there were a total of 948 deaths due to traffic-related incidents across South Carolina.
Aiken County, where the accident took place, has unfortunately also experienced a notable number of traffic fatalities this year. There have been at least 10 recorded deaths from crashes in the county thus far in 2025. In comparison, the previous year’s statistics indicate a higher total, with 28 traffic fatalities reported within the county for 2024.
Looking Ahead
Authorities are continuing to investigate Stempel’s crash and will provide updates as more information becomes available. The circumstances surrounding the incident are particularly pressing as South Carolina grapples with significant challenges related to road safety and traffic fatalities.
As the investigation unfolds, local officials and community members may seek ways to improve safety measures on roads to prevent similar tragic incidents in the future. The loss of life on South Carolina roads serves as a stark reminder of the importance of safe driving practices and adherence to traffic laws.
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HERE Resources
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Additional Resources
- Live 5 News: Driver killed in Orangeburg County crash
- Wikipedia: Traffic safety
- WRDW: Driver identified in deadly Orangeburg County crash
- Google Search: Traffic safety South Carolina
- The State: Traffic news in South Carolina
- Google Scholar: Traffic accidents South Carolina
- WLTX: Fatal crash on Interstate 20
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Traffic
- WIS TV: Fatal wrong-way crash in Richland County
- Google News: Fatal car crashes South Carolina
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