A 21-year-old Florida woman was rescued late Wednesday evening from U.S. 301 near Brewington Road after driving around barricades and plunging into the Black River.
"One one tire hanging from a large rock kept the vehicle from being completely submerged in the river," said Clarendon County Sheriff Randy Garrett. "The first deputies on the scene went into rescue mode and saved this young lady's life, enabling me not to have to contact her family and telling them that she had lost her life."
Garrett has stressed to residents that they will be fined and their cars towed if they disobey posted barricades.
"They are for your safety," he said. "We know people are getting restless. We know they have places to get to. We know some folks are stranded here. But these roads that are blocked are not safe for you to travel on. The barricades are there for a reason."
Garrett said a charge of interference with traffic-control devices or railroad signs or signals includes a penalty of a fine of not less than $1,000 or up to five years in prison, or both. The driver's license of a person convicted under the law must be revoked for no less than five years.
If injury results, a person may be fined less than $1,000 or imprisoned for not more than 10 years.
If death results, a person may be sentenced to 30 years in prison.
“Drive around the barricades and you will pay a hefty fine and have your vehicle towed,” he said. “Across the state, 15 lives have been lost in this flood and the numbers are climbing.” Garrett said he would rather empty someone’s wallet “than knock on your family’s door and break their hearts.”
