Two teenagers killed when car crashes into trees, South Carolina officials say

Two teenagers were killed Wednesday when a car ran off a South Carolina road and crashed into trees, officials said.

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A pair of 18-year-old Lancaster residents — Jayleen Hinton and Kyreic Walker — were the victims who died, Lancaster County Coroner Karla Deese said Thursday.

The single-vehicle collision happened at about 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, according to Master Trooper Hannah Davidson of the South Carolina Highway Patrol.

The teens were the occupants of a 2003 Saturn Ion that was driving east on Pineview Drive, according to Davidson. It was not clear which teen was the driver and which was a passenger.

The driver tried to pass another vehicle, but the car ran off the right side of Pineview Drive and crashed into several trees, Davidson said.

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Both Hinton and Walker died at the scene, according to Deese.

No other injuries were reported.

There was no word if either of the teens was wearing a seatbelt, but the wreck continues to be investigated by the Highway Patrol and coroner’s office.

Through Sunday, 558 people had died on South Carolina roads in 2026, according to the state Department of Public Safety. A minimum of 914 people were killed in collisions in South Carolina in 2025, DPS data shows.

At least 10 people have died in Lancaster County crashes this year, and 16 people died in wrecks there in 2025, according to DPS data.