The small town of McColl, South Carolina, is mourning the sudden loss of its mayor, George Garner II, who tragically died in a car crash on Tuesday afternoon. The accident happened around 2:40 p.m. in Mechanicsville, a town in Darlington County, and has left the community shocked and searching for answers.
Mayor Garner, who had recently been reelected to lead the town of about 1,900 residents, was driving his 2007 Chevy Tahoe when the collision occurred. According to the South Carolina Highway Patrol, Garner crossed into the opposite lane and hit a Volvo tractor-trailer head-on. He was rushed to a nearby hospital, but sadly, he didn’t survive. The driver of the tractor-trailer was also injured but is expected to recover.
Authorities are still piecing together what led up to the crash. Marlboro County Sheriff Charles Lemon revealed that deputies had been following Garner after his wife called the sheriff’s office out of concern for him. Sheriff Lemon emphasized that the deputies were not actively chasing Garner when the accident happened, though they were close behind.
The wreck is being closely examined by the South Carolina Highway Patrol’s Major Accident Investigation Team. So far, the department hasn’t released additional details.
This heartbreaking incident comes as McColl is already grappling with recent turmoil in its local government. Just last month, the entire town police force—five officers, including the police chief—resigned, claiming they were dealing with “unwanted and malicious behavior.” Their resignations were shared in a now-deleted social media post, leaving residents uncertain about the future of public safety in the town.
Adding another layer to the story, state authorities confirmed that Garner was under investigation by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division at the time of his death. They haven’t disclosed the nature of the investigation, but it’s clear that the mayor had been facing challenges on multiple fronts.
As the community comes to terms with this loss, many are left with questions about what might have been going through Garner’s mind in his final moments. While officials work to uncover the full story, the town of McColl is left mourning the man they had recently chosen to lead them.