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Saturday wreck kills three South Carolina residents
By Carey Phillips
Three people were killed and four others injured in a two-vehicle accident Saturday on U.S. 74-441 west of Sylva in the Barkers Creek area.
Davis O. Heniford Jr., 77, and his 80-year-old wife, Althea Todd Heniford, both of North Myrtle Beach, S.C., died in the wreck as did Lorine Hardee Pennywitt, 74, of Myrtle Beach, S.C., according to Trooper Jeff Womack of the N.C. Highway Patrol.
The wreck occurred at 12:50 p.m. in front of Uncle Bill’s Flea Market.
Three South Carolina residents were killed and four people were injured in a two-vehicle accident Saturday afternoon in front of Uncle Bill’s Flea Market on U.S. 74-441 west of Sylva. The deceased were the driver and two passengers in the Lincoln pictured above. Davis Heniford, who was driving the Lincoln, pulled into the path of a GMC pickup truck (inset) driven by Kirsten Porter of Balsam, according to N.C. Highway Patrolman Jeff Womack. – Photos by Dale Nations, Jackson County Emergency Management
Davis Heniford was driving a 1997 Lincoln and pulled out of the Flea Market onto the highway in front of an eastbound 1998 GMC pickup truck being driven by Kirsten Heidi Porter, 27, of Chad Crawford Road, Balsam, according to Womack. Porter’s vehicle was in the inside lane leading Womack to believe Heniford intended to turn left on the four-lane or go straight across the highway to a gas station.
All seven occupants of the vehicles were wearing seat belts, Womack said.
The three people killed were all in the front seat of the Lincoln, and three people in the back seat were injured as was Porter.
Gene Pennywitt, 76, of Myrtle Beach, and Porter were admitted to Harris Regional Hospital and released later that evening, Womack said.
Taken to Mission Hospitals in Asheville were Gus Chagaris, 81, and Barbara Chagaris, 75. Mr. Chagaris was discharged Monday. Mrs. Chagaris was listed in fair condition Tuesday morning.
In the aftermath of the crash, law enforcement and emergency personnel were able to keep one lane of traffic open in each direction.
Agencies assisting included fire departments from Qualla, Sylva and Savannah, the Jackson County Rescue Squad, WestCare and Cherokee Tribal EMS, and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office.
Womack expressed thanks to all those agencies as well as any others that helped at the scene.
“My uncle and aunt were wonderful and loving people who always thought of others first and will be missed by us all,” the Henifords’ nephew, Derck Heniford of Clovis, Calif., told the Herald.
Davis Heniford was prominent in the real estate and banking industry, according to the Sun News of Myrtle Beach. He was the owner of Sandhills Bank and was a former member of the S.C. Department of Highways and Public Transportation Commission.
Earlier this year, he was presented the Order of the Palmetto, the highest civilian honor given by the State of South Carolina, and the intersection of U.S. 701 and S.C. 9 Bypass was named in his honor.
Althea Heniford was chosen South Carolina Mother of the Year in 1981.
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