South-Carolina

Another South Carolina Boat Crash Steeped In Scandal – FITSNews

Published

1 year ago

June 26, 2023

Another South Carolina Boat Crash Steeped In Scandal – FITSNews

On Saturday, May 6, 2023 – nearly two months ago – Kershaw County, South Carolina coroner David West announced the death of a 15-year-old Camden High School student following a boating accident on the Wateree River.

According to West, the accident occurred at approximately 10:16 p.m. EDT on the previous evening – May 5, 2023. It involved a collision between two boats at a bend in the river near Pine Tree Creek – which flows into the Wateree approximately a mile to the southeast of where the river is traversed by Interstate 20.

The day after the crash, West told reporter Christopher Buchanan of WLTX TV-19 (CBS – Columbia, S.C.) “both boats were moving when one hit the other,” resulting in the death of the student. He declined to identify the victim, citing his status as a minor.

West told Buchanan “people on both boats were friends and they were brush fishing at the time.”

“No foul play” was suspected in connection with the crash, West added – indicating the S.C. Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) was leading the investigation.

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Over the years, West has provided dozens of media outlets information related to hundreds of fatalities in Kershaw County. In the hours after this tragedy, nothing about the initial disclosures coming from his office seemed out of the ordinary.

Forty-eight hours later, though, a report from Mayra Parrilla-Guerrero and Andrew Fancher of WIS-TV 10 (NBC – Columbia, S.C.) offered the first indications that this was – and is – going to be a very out-of-the-ordinary story.

For starters, “West confirmed to WIS his grandson was the driver of the boat in which (the victim) was a passenger.”

That’s a pretty significant piece of information for a sitting coroner to originally omit from the narrative, isn’t it?

Parrilla-Guerrero and Fancher’s story identified the victim as 15-year-old Chase Wyatt Newman, who was described by his aunt as “a kind soul, (and) a loving child,” someone who “lit up the room when he walked in it, gave the best hugs and had the best laugh.”

Newman was a member of his high school golf team and an avid outdoorsman. According to his published obituary, he loved “the outdoors, his friends and family and his Boykin Spaniel, Millie.” He left behind his parents, five siblings, grandparents and many other aunts, uncles and cousins.

(Click to view)

Chase Wyatt Newman (Provided)

Driving the boat Newman was traveling on at the time of the crash? Zach Cameron, West’s grandson.

“I’m heartbroken,” West told Parrilla-Guerrero and Fancer, adding he was “floored” to learn his grandson’s friend had been killed when he was “called to the scene of the crash as a coroner.”

In the WIS article, West claimed he was investigating the crash – and that Newman’s autopsy was being performed by a third-party, the Newberry Pathology Group. However, that same day editor Martin L. Cahn of The (Camden, S.C.) Chronicle-Independent reported West as saying he “did not actually investigate the boy’s death as one of his family members was aboard one of the boats involved.”

West maintained his “no foul play” narrative in the Chronicle-Independent story, too.

“They both swerved to try to avoid each other,” West told the paper. “There was no foul play, and they both had their lights on.”

“The other boat hit him, but he never went into the water,” West continued, referring to Newman. “People from both boats rendered first aid. There were four people on the boat that was hit, and three in the other boat.”

(Click to view)

Kershaw County coroner **David West** (Facebook)

According to a lawsuit filed this week in Kershaw County, though, there was no shortage of foul play associated with this senseless tragedy – before and after it occurred.

Filed by attorneys Pete Strom and Jessica Lerer Fickling of the Columbia, S.C. Strom Law firm, the filing (.pdf) was submitted on behalf of Newman’s parents – Melissa Branham and Shane Newman. It named Cameron (the coroner’s grandson), Trent Mathis (the driver of the other boat) and five unnamed entities, each of which allegedly sold alcohol Cameron prior to the crash, as defendants.

The allegations leveled in the lawsuit are seismic – hinting at widespread institutional corruption and evoking memories of the now-notorious 2019 boat crash involving the late Paul Murdaugh. That crash led to the collapse of the Murdaugh family empire (and, according to state prosecutors, precipitated Paul Murdaugh’s own murder at the hands of his father, Alex Murdaugh).

According to the pleading, at approximately 4:00 p.m. EDT on the day of his death, Newman “joined his friends after school at a local sandbar on the Wateree River” – a location where Cameron was “already on site and drinking.”

Cameron was able to purchase the alcohol thanks to “his political connections in Kershaw County,” the pleading alleged, referring to him as “widely known and recognized as the grandson of Kershaw County’s elected coroner, David West, and the nephew of elite members of the Kershaw County Sheriff’s Office.”

Thanks to these relationships, Cameron “avoided the consequences of his actions, including his reputation for underage drinking, disorderly conduct, and reckless boating.”

Specifically, the lawsuit claimed Cameron “had purportedly been either arrested or charged with drunk and disorderly conduct at (the) Carolina Cup, as well as ticketed for reckless boating” in the weeks leading up to the collision. Those charges were “inexplicably dropped,” the lawsuit alleged.

Citing “multiple witnesses,” the lawsuit claimed Cameron was “drinking at the sandbar for multiple hours before the collision, including while on the boat leading up to this collision, and was intoxicated.”

(Click to view)

Cameron’s inebriated status – and the negligence of Mathis, the driver of the other boat – led to the crash as both vessels were “driving in the middle of the channel at high speeds … headed toward a blind curve,” according the lawsuit.

Despite both boats swerving at the last second to avoid hitting each other, “Mathis’ boat collided with the back of Cameron’s boat, where (Newman) was sitting.” After the crash, “it became immediately apparent that something was wrong,” the lawsuit continued. Newman was “bleeding profusely, and became unresponsive within minutes.”

Something else was wrong, though.

According to the lawsuit, “one of the first people on scene was David West, the elected coroner and Cameron’s grandfather.” West’s presence on the scene of the accident “was irregular, as there was no indication of a fatality at the time of the initial call.”

As additional law enforcement officers began to arrive at the scene, things got even more “irregular.”

“Coroner West actively engaged with these officials and inserted himself into the investigation, telling law enforcement that he, the coroner, had checked the kids including his grandson for alcohol, and that alcohol was not a factor,” the lawsuit alleged. “Meanwhile, witnesses have stated law enforcement along with West, told defendants Cameron and Mathis and the other kids at the scene to dispose of any residual trash in the boats, which would include any indicia of alcohol.”

These law enforcement officers also claimed to have “notified” West of Newman’s death, even though it was “clear that Coroner West was at the scene the entire time.”

“It is unclear why other responding agencies, including Kershaw County Sheriff’s Office, and the Department of Natural Resources, did not press further to determine whether alcohol was a factor in the collision, or why and to what extent either department allowed Coroner West to participate in the investigation on the night of the collision,” the lawsuit stated.

Strom said Newman’s family is ready for “answers” and wants “accountability” in the aftermath of this tragedy.

“I’ve been representing families who are in the hour of their grief for a long time,” Strom said. “What these parents are going through is unimaginable and this family is handling these circumstances with as much grace as I’ve seen. They know they cannot bring their son back. What they want now are answers and accountability.”

To read the pleading for yourself, download the document below. As we continue digging into these allegations, I would remind everyone reading this article that FITSNews has an open microphone policy which encourages any individuals or institutions named in our reports to address our audience directly.

Unlike other media outlets, we are happy to publish responses unedited and in their entirety.

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THE LAWSUIT …

(Via: S.C. Fifth Judicial Circuit)

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR …

Will Folks is the founding editor of the news outlet you are currently reading. Prior to founding FITSNews, he served as press secretary to the governor of South Carolina. He lives in the Midlands region of the state with his wife and seven children.

*****

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South-Carolina

Dawn Staley shares how South Carolina has responded since loss

Published

1 hour ago

November 29, 2024

Press Room

Dawn Staley shares how South Carolina has responded since loss

South Carolina had its run of 43 straight wins come to an end this past Sunday as Dawn Staley and the Gamecocks suffered a 77-62 loss at UCLA.

Staley said after the loss and ahead of the matchup with Iowa State on Thursday that she thought her team would respond the right way. Needless to say the Gamecocks did against Iowa State, pounding the Cyclones 76-36 on Thanksgiving Day.

“That’s what a team does. This is a resilient group,” Dawn Staley said. “This is a team that obviously hasn’t dealt with a whole lot of losing. It’ll shake you for a moment.

“We’ve got a 24-hour rule. Bask in the glory of a defeat and you handle a defeat. And you handle it with grace, but you handle it with learning lessons. Things were exposed and hopefully we can fill some of those holes and get back to happier times.”

It was certainly a happier time for South Carolina on Thursday. The Gamecocks led Iowa State 19-3 at the end of the first quarter and 35-9 at halftime.

South Carolina went on a 32-0 run at one point in the first half and easily handled an Iowa State team that was ranked No. 15 nationally.

Dawn Staley said ahead of the game that she wanted her team to play better offensively and it did. South Carolina shot 45.3 percent from the floor against Iowa State after connecting on only 36.4 percent of its attempts against UCLA.

“Our offense, just getting better looks and getting better ball movement,” Dawn Staley said of where South Carolina needed to improve. “The ball has been sticking too much to individual players and it’s stagnant.

“We need to get our bigs involved, so we’re going to look to get them involved in positions they can score, whether that’s two feet in the paint or hitting mid-range shots. If you’ve got 3-point range, you can take good, fluid, rhythm 3s.”

South Carolina relied on a balanced scoring attack against Iowa State as senior forward Sania Feagin and freshman forward Joyce Edwards led the way with 13 points each.

The Gamecocks will be back in action on Saturday when they face Purdue in Fort Meyers, Florida. Tip off is set for 11 a.m.

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South-Carolina

No. 15 South Carolina at No. 12 Clemson: 5 Things to Watch For

Published

9 hours ago

November 28, 2024

Press Room

No. 15 South Carolina at No. 12 Clemson: 5 Things to Watch For

Clemson and South Carolina will renew their annual rivalry on Saturday when the No. 12 Tigers host the No. 15 Gamecocks at high noon in Death Valley.

This will be the 121st all-time meeting between the two schools but with College Football Playoff implications on the line for both teams, this year’s matchup is arguably the biggest to date in the long, storied history of the series.

The Gamecocks (8-3) come in riding high, having won five straight, while the Tigers (9-2) are in the midst of a three-game winning streak.

5 Things to Watch

1. Strength vs. Strength: Football is generally a game of matchups and one of the biggest in this game is Clemson’s much-improved offense against that stout South Carolina defense. Make no mistake, this as good of a defense as the Tigers have seen this season. It’s comparable with Georgia’s and nobody has forgotten how this offense looked that day.

The Gamecocks will bring an elite-level defensive line to town and there are guys on the backend of that defense that will be playing on Sundays. If Clemson has any shot at winning this game, the offense is going to have to be efficient and balanced. Scoring touchdowns is a must. Last year the offense failed to score a touchdown in this game. A bunch of field goals will not cut it on Saturday.

2. Create Turnovers: Whoever wins the turnover battle probably wins this game. The Tigers are +13 in the margin and South Carolina has been prone to turning it over at times. It’s something they’ve gotten a little cleaned up in recent weeks, but they still have lost 11 fumbles this season. They are only +3 in the margin. Clemson being able to create some takeaways, while continuing to protect the football, should prove to be beneficial.

3. Pressure the Quarterback: There are two things the Tigers absolutely can not do. Number one, they can not afford to allow LaNorris Sellers to get comfortable in the pocket. For most of the season, Clemson’s pass rush has not been what most believed it would be, but in the wins over Virginia Tech and Pitt, it’s started to come around. Getting after Sellers is a must. South Carolina has allowed 36 sacks this season, but just four in the past three games, with three of those coming in the win over Wofford.

Second, the Tigers must keep Sellers contained in the pocket. If running lanes are left open, Sellers will find them and next thing you know he has darted for 20 yards or more. He is as good of a running quarterback as Clemson has seen and athletic quarterbacks have been an issue for this defense at times. He is very quick to make something out of nothing. And then when they get hands on him they must bring him down. Sellers is really good at running through contact.

4. Klubnik Time: There is no getting around the fact that Cade Klubnik is drastically improved over what he was at this point last season. There is a night and day difference. Having said that, if Clemson is going to win this game, Klubnik is going to have to bring it. This South Carolina defense is going to bring the heat and it is under those conditions that the junior quarterback has, at times, faltered.

Klubnik is the unquestioned leader on the offensive side of the ball, and it is him that will need to lead the Tigers to victory. Making good decisions and keeping his poise will be key. However, it’s his legs that could prove to be the difference.

5A. Slow Down Running Game: How frustrating has it been watching the Tigers’ run defense this season? Clemson is allowing right at 150 yards per game on the ground. They don’t even rank inside of the Top 50 in rush defense.

Rocket Sanders is averaging right at five yards per carry and is a hard-nosed runner. However, as noted above, it’s Sellers that might be more dangerous. The redshirt freshman has right at 700 rushing yards, so the Gamecocks rely heavily on him making plays with his legs.

If Clemson is going to come away victorious, they need an effort similar to what we saw in the win over Virginia Tech, when the Tigers totally shut down that high-powered ground game of the Hokies. Getting Wade Woodaz back would help tremendously, and it sounds like he’s trending towards playing. Either way. slowing down that ground game and making that offense beat you through the air is crucial.

5B. No Special Teams Miscues: If there was ever a game in which you needed to be sharp on special teams, this is it. No fumbles on kickoffs and none on punt returns. Not to mention, you can’t let the Gamecocks block any field goals. Nolan Hauser has had six field goals blocked this season, all due to the protection breaking down in front of him. Those are huge momentum shifting plays, and Clemson can ill-afford to have any of those this week.

A limited number of signed replica road signs from Cade Klubnik are available! Visit Clemson Variety & Frame or purchase online!

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South-Carolina

How to watch South Carolina vs Iowa State women’s basketball: Time, channel, live streams

Published

17 hours ago

November 28, 2024

Press Room

How to watch South Carolina vs Iowa State women’s basketball: Time, channel, live streams

The 4th-ranked South Carolina Gamecocks women’s basketball team next ships off to the Sunshine State for a matchup with No. 15 Iowa State at the Fort Myers Tip-off. The game is scheduled to start at 1:30 p.m. ET with TV coverage on FOX and streaming on-demand.

How to watch: Live streams of the South Carolina vs. Iowa State game are available with offers from FuboTV (free trial), SlingTV (low intro rate) and DirecTV Stream (free trial).
For a limited time, FuboTV is offering $30 off the first month after the free trial period. With the $30 offer, plans start at $49.99.

#4 South Carolina Gamecocks (5-1) vs. #15 Iowa State Cyclones (5-1)

NCAA women’s basketball matchup at a glance

When: Thursday, Nov. 28 at 1:30 p.m. ET

Where: Suncoast Credit Union Arena, Fort Myers, Fla.

TV channel: FOX

Live streams: FuboTV (free trial) | SlingTV (low intro rate) | DirecTV Stream (free trial)

Both South Carolina and Iowa State lost their first games of the 2024-’25 season within the past eight days, with the Gamecocks falling on the road to No. 5 UCLA (77-62) on Sunday and the Cyclones to Northern Iowa (87-75) last Wednesday in Cedar Falls. South Carolina is now 5-1 in its defense of the 2024 NCAA women’s championship with a top-10 win over NC State highlighting the team’s early-season résumé. The Gamecocks will be Iowa State’s first ranked opponent after falling to No. 2 seed Stanford in overtime (87-81) in the second round of last season’s NCAA Tournament

South Carolina Gamecocks vs. Iowa State Cyclones: Know your live streaming options

FuboTV (free trial) – excellent viewer experience with huge library of live sports content; free trial lengths vary; monthly rate after free trial starts at $59.99 after current $20 discount offer.
SlingTV (low intro rate) – discounted first month is best if you’ve run out of free trials or you’re in the market for 1+ month of TV
DirecTV Stream (free trial) – not the same level of viewer experience as FuboTV, but the standard 7-day free trial is still the longest in streaming.

South Carolina and Iowa State are set for a 1:30 p.m. ET start on FOX. Live streams are available from FuboTV (free trial), DirecTV Stream (free trial) and SlingTV (low intro rate).

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