A tragic single-vehicle accident claimed the life of a Salley, South Carolina, resident on Thursday evening, according to the Aiken County Coroner’s Office. The victim was identified as 63-year-old Robert Stempel.
The incident occurred at approximately 4:16 p.m. on South Dixie Road near Jordan Creek Road in Wagener. Authorities report that Stempel was driving a 2003 Chevrolet Avalanche truck northbound when the vehicle veered off the left side of the roadway, struck a fence, and overturned.
Emergency responders airlifted Stempel to Prisma Health Columbia for treatment, but he succumbed to his injuries at the hospital. The Aiken County Coroner’s Office responded to the medical facility to investigate the death.
A toxicology analysis is pending as part of the ongoing investigation, which is being conducted jointly by the Aiken County Coroner’s Office and the South Carolina Highway Patrol.
This crash marks another fatal incident in Aiken County this week, highlighting ongoing concerns about road safety in the area.