LAURENS COUNTY, S.C. (WSPA) — A motorcyclist has died following an accident involving the Laurens County Sheriff’s Office on April 25.
Laurens County Sheriff’s Office said a motorcyclist and their passenger were burned on April 25 after when a gasoline spill caught fire.
Deputies said two officers were parked at the intersection of Neely Ferry Road and Wasson Gin Road at about 5 p.m. The officers saw a motorcycle, which was believed to be have just eluded law enforcement during an attempted traffic stop, drive in front of them and stop.
An incident report said that a deputy removed the driver from the motorcycle and placed him on the ground. The motorcycle then fell over after a female passenger got off of the bike, the report said.
Deputies said the motorcycle did not have a gas cap and spilled fuel.
The incident report said that the exhaust pipe then fell off of the motorcycle into a puddle of gasoline, causing a fire.
Deputies attempted to put out the fire with fire extinguishers and a towel, the report said.
The driver of the motorcycle was badly burned and flown to the JMS Burn Center in Augusta, according to the sheriff’s office. The passenger was suffered a burn to the foot.
According to the Laurens County Coroner’s Office, 60-year-old Michael Henry Miller died on April 27 after being flown to burn center. The case remains under investigation and an autopsy is pending.
