OCONEE COUNTY, S.C. (WSPA) – A 20-year-old died in a motorcycle crash early Tuesday morning in Oconee County after reportedly speeding away from two attempted traffic stops, investigators said.
According to the Oconee County Coroner’s Office, the crash happened around 12:30 a.m. on East Main Street near South Hampton Street in Westminster.
The motorcyclist, identified by the coroner as 20-year-old Nevan Matthew Hopkins, died from his injuries at the scene.
Investigators said South Carolina Highway Patrol attempted to stop the motorcycle for speeding along Sandifer Boulevard but when the motorcycle sped away, the trooper terminated the stop.
An Oconee County deputy also attempted to stop the motorcycle after the trooper had canceled his stop, according to the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office.
After the deputy lost sight of the motorcycle, the 1st sergeant on patrol told the deputy to cancel any attempts to catch up to the motorcycle due to the high rate of speed, the sheriff’s office said.
The deputy slowed down and continued into Westminster where he was flagged down by a man who said that a motorcycle had crashed near Hampton Street.
The sheriff’s office said the deputy then discovered the crashed motorcycle and the driver lying on the sidewalk.
The Greenville County Sheriff’s Office is investigating.
