Clarendon County woke to heartbreaking news Saturday as 60-year-old Jimmy Wayne Melvin of Dover, North Carolina, lost his life in a devastating single-vehicle crash on Interstate 95 just before dawn. Officials say the crash happened around 5:30 a.m. on Jan. 24, near the 113-mile marker on the northbound side of the interstate, a major highway that stretches along the East Coast.
Troopers from the South Carolina Highway Patrol responded to the scene after the tractor-trailer Melvin was driving veered off the road. According to the Highway Patrol, his 2024 International tractor-trailer drifted off the right edge of the highway, hit a guardrail and then struck a tree. Melvin was the only person in the vehicle and was pronounced dead at the scene from the severity of his injuries.
Family and friends are remembering Melvin as more than just the victim in a crash report. Those who knew him describe him as a dedicated family man with a steady work ethic, someone deeply rooted in his community and cherished by those closest to him. His sudden loss has pushed loved ones into an unexpected and painful period of mourning.
Clarendon County Coroner Jacqueline Blackwell has identified Melvin and said an autopsy will be carried out by the Medical University of South Carolina to help piece together more details as part of the ongoing investigation. Authorities are still gathering information about what led the big rig to leave the roadway, and no further findings have been released yet.
Melvin’s passing is a stark reminder of how quickly life can change. On a cold winter morning, beneath a routine drive that likely looked ordinary at the start, a life that meant so much to those who knew him came to a quiet, tragic end along a lonely stretch of highway.
Friends and community members have begun sharing memories of Melvin, speaking of a man whose warm presence and strong spirit lifted others. As support flows in from near and far, his family is clinging to those memories, striving to find comfort in the laughter, guidance and love he offered throughout his life.
As the investigation continues, prayers and support are being sent to Melvin’s family during this difficult time. His memory will live on in the hearts of many who knew him, and his loss will be felt deeply by all who were touched by his life.
