One person has died after two separate crashes tied up South Highway 14 in Greer on Thursday, even as a third collision a few miles away shut down all westbound lanes of West Wade Hampton Boulevard and forced drivers onto a detour toward North Main Street. The overlapping scenes left Greer police juggling multiple active investigations at once, with officers urging drivers to steer clear of the area entirely.
Two Crashes, One Stretch of Highway 14
The Greer Police Department worked two separate collisions on South Highway 14 between South Buncombe Road and West Road, according to WYFF 4. The Greenville County Coroner's Office confirmed that one person died in the crashes, though the station's report did not identify the victim or detail what caused either wreck. Prisma Health Greer Memorial Hospital, which provides emergency care, sits on South Buncombe Road near that stretch of highway.
Under South Carolina law, the coroner's office is required to independently investigate every fatal motor vehicle collision to determine cause and manner of death and to notify next of kin, per the Greenville County Coroner. State statute also requires that any crash resulting in injury or death be reported immediately to local police or the South Carolina Highway Patrol for formal investigation, according to the Steinberg Law Firm. Greer police are separately bound by departmental policy to complete a state Uniform Traffic Collision Report, secure physical evidence, and request crash reconstruction help for severe or fatal wrecks, per the department's own General Order 730.1.
Wade Hampton Blvd Shut Down, Traffic Rerouted
While officers worked the Highway 14 scenes, Greer police and emergency personnel were also on scene at a collision at West Wade Hampton Boulevard and North Main Street, the same WYFF 4 report states. All westbound lanes of West Wade Hampton Boulevard were closed at North Main Street, and traffic was diverted north onto North Main Street as crews worked the wreck.
Greer police encouraged motorists to avoid the area and seek an alternate route, warning that travelers should use extreme caution near the crash scenes. The department said delays were expected and that it planned to update the public as traffic conditions improved, though no timeline for reopening the roads was given in the police department's statements relayed by WYFF 4.
A Corridor With a History
Wade Hampton Boulevard, designated U.S. Highway 29, is considered a high-risk collision corridor in Greenville County because of heavy commuter traffic, commercial driveways, and frequent rear-end impacts, according to an analysis from Armada Law. The road carries substantial daily traffic between Greenville and Spartanburg, a volume that helps explain why severe crashes and disruptions recur there. Greenville County recorded 71 fatal traffic collisions in 2023, tying Spartanburg County for the highest total among all 46 counties statewide, per the Jebaily Law Firm.
Caution Around Active Crash Scenes
Drivers should use caution around emergency crews working roadside at active crash scenes.
No further details on the identity of the person who died, the cause of either Highway 14 crash, or whether road conditions played a role had been released as of Thursday afternoon.
