An elderly woman running errands in Anderson, South Carolina, lost her life when a Mack truck barreled through a red light and crashed into her vehicle. Now, the community of Anderson is mourning her loss, along with the tragedy of her life being taken on the last day of her chemotherapy treatment. Tragedies like the Anderson truck crash are a stark reminder of the dangers other motorists on the road face when they are involved in a collision with a large truck.
South Carolina Crash Result of Running Red Light
The victim, 79-year-old Estelle Wood, was driving her 2005 Lincoln Continental east at the intersection of S.C. 24 and Whitehall Road when a Mack truck, driven north by 63-year-old Anthony H. Maye of Greenwood, ran a red light and slammed into Wood’s vehicle in the middle of the intersection.
First responders to the Anderson truck crash included the Highway Patrol and Centerville Fire Department, and a LifeFlight helicopter was also sent to the accident site.
Wood, who was wearing a seatbelt, was trapped inside her vehicle and had to be extracted by responders. Although given CPR at the scene, Wood was quickly transported to nearby AnMed Health Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead at 12:55 p.m. The cause of death, according to Anderson County Deputy Coroner Don McCown, was severe blunt force trauma.
Officials shut off Whitehall Road as they cleared the scene and investigated the truck crash.
Semi-Truck Driver Unharmed in Fatal Crash
The 2016 Mack truck driven by Maye is owned by Powell’s Trash Service of Greenwood, where Maye is a resident. Trooper Joe Hovis, a South Carolina Highway Patrol spokesman, said that Maye was wearing a seatbelt and sustained no injuries in the crash. He was, however, cited for disregarding a traffic signal.
No statement has been issued as to why Maye ran the red light or if investigations into the crash are ongoing. There are a variety of factors that could be involved in a tragedy like the Anderson truck crash, including mechanical problems with the truck itself or issues with the driver, making a thorough investigation into the causes of a truck accident vital.
Woman in Anderson Truck Crash Was Known for Kindness
Estelle Wood was known affectionately by those in her life as “Miss Jo,” and the mother of five shared her motherly love with the entire community of Anderson, South Carolina. In an interview with the Anderson Independent Mail, 51-year-old Guy James Wootton, Wood’s youngest son, spoke fondly of his mother.
“The room would just light up when she walked in,” said Wootton.
Speaking of his mother’s desire to care for others, Wootton said that she loved everyone she met and enjoyed helping people. He further noted that her favorite thing to do with money was “to give it away.” Wood had given thousands of dollars to various charities, including the American Cancer Society and a domestic violence shelter in Anderson.
Before Wood left to run errands on the day of the Anderson truck crash, she made her youngest son breakfast and told him she loved him, before adding “I love all my babies.” A sign reading “RIP Ms. Jo” has been erected on S.C. 24.
Victim of Fatal Crash Was On the Way to Final Cancer Treatment
Wood was on her way to the grocery store from her home on nearby Green Pond Road when the accident occurred, but her family has said the errand she planned to run next was more significant.
After the grocery store, Wood was bound for the doctor’s office, where she would receive her last shot of the chemotherapy treatment she was undergoing. Wood had beat cancer once before and that day’s appointment would signify the second time she had conquered the disease.
“We thought she had it beat because my mother was so invincible,” Wood’s daughter Tammy Wootton said to the Anderson Independent Mail.
Son of Victim Involved in Altercation at Scene of Truck Accident
After Guy Wootton received the call about his mother’s accident, he and his brother drove to the hospital to see their mother. Unfortunately, that meant driving past the Anderson truck crash scene, and when they saw the wreckage of Wood’s car, Wootton said “our hearts sank.”
Wootton and his brother said their last goodbye to their mother at the hospital, and Wootton left to return home. Instead of driving straight home, however, he pulled over at the accident scene with the intention of getting information about the Mack truck.
While there, Wootton crossed paths with Maye and confronted him.
“At that point, I just lost it,” Wootton said. “I hit him. I hit him several times until the police pulled me off of him.”
The police officers on the scene arrested Wootton and charged him with third-degree assault and battery before sending him to Anderson County Detention Center, where he spent a few hours.
Wootton, in an interview with FOX Carolina, said that he thinks his mother would be bothered by him attacking Maye. Despite that, he also said he believes she would forgive him for it. It may be that forgiveness that Wootton and his family are tapping into as they move forward.
“Things happen,” Wootton said. “This man didn’t set out to do this…Nobody wishes this man any ill.”
Truck Accident Attorney
Every day, families are devastated when their loved ones are injured or killed in a truck crash. If you or someone you love was harmed in a truck accident, contact Baum Hedlund Aristei & Goldman for a free consultation.
