A truck tore through a crosswalk sign and crashed into the Always Money store at the corner of St. James Avenue and Thomason Boulevard in Goose Creek early Tuesday morning, leaving the building damaged and city officials searching for the driver, who was last seen walking away on foot. The business was closed at the time of the crash.
According to WCBD News 2, the truck first struck a crosswalk sign before plowing into the building, per Frank Johnson, the city's Public Information Officer. Johnson said the driver was seen walking away from the scene afterward, and that the city was looking for him to check on his wellbeing rather than to pursue a crime. That framing matters under South Carolina law: South Carolina Code § 56-5-1230 allows a driver to temporarily leave an accident scene without committing an offense, so long as the sole purpose is reporting the collision to law enforcement.
That legal nuance doesn't erase the broader obligations drivers face after striking a roadside structure. Under South Carolina Code § 56-5-1250, a driver who hits a fixture or building must take reasonable steps to locate the owner or notify police, or risk a misdemeanor charge carrying 30 days to a year in jail and a fine between $100 and $5,000, according to David Aylor Law Offices. Separately, state law requires drivers in crashes causing more than $1,000 in property damage to file a written report and proof of insurance with the Department of Motor Vehicles within 15 days if police don't investigate, per Injury Claim Coach.
Inspectors Rushed to Check the Building's Stability
A city building inspector was en route Tuesday to assess the damage and determine whether the structure remained stable, the station's report noted. No additional details were immediately available as of publication.
The building itself is a modest footprint for this kind of impact. The 560-square-foot freestanding retail structure at 136 St. James Avenue was built in 2014 on a 0.27-acre lot at the Thomason Boulevard corner, with 70 feet of frontage along St. James Avenue and 91 feet along Thomason, according to a LoopNet listing. The compact size of the building underscores how much of its frontage could have been affected by a single vehicle impact.
U.S. 176 Through Goose Creek
St. James Avenue carries U.S. Highway 176 through Goose Creek.
Goose Creek has a 2021 comprehensive plan, and U.S. 176 improvements have been discussed.
134 St. James Avenue is in the Central Creek District Overlay.
New Camera Network Could Aid the Search
Goose Creek may have new tools to help track down the driver. In August, the city approved a $70,900 contract to install 10 Flock license plate reader cameras across major roadways, intended to help police track vehicles involved in criminal incidents and hit-and-run investigations, according to Who Approved This. Whether any of those cameras captured footage of the truck before or after the crash has not been addressed in available reporting.
