Laurens County Highway Fatalities set an all-time record in 2014. Laurens County Coroner Nick Nichols yesterday issued his Statistics for 2014, showing 26 fatalities considered ‘motor vehicle accidents’ for the year. That includes bicyclists and pedestrians involved with fatal accidents on the state’s roadways. Prior to last year’s 26 deaths, the annual highway death toll for Laurens County has ranged from 10 in 2013 up to 21 in 2009.
While motor vehicle deaths were up in 2014, Suicide deaths were down. From 22 in 2013, we dropped to 10 in 2014. Previously since 2005 suicides ranged from 6 to 19.
As usual, natural cause was ruled for the vast majority of the deaths, with 425 in 2014, down form 447 in 2013. Deaths from Homicide dropped from 4 to 3 this past year. We had 7 infant deaths, same as the previous year.
The Coroner’s 2014 report indicates that as of year-end there were three deaths where final resolution is depending on toxicology reports and three deaths where the cause was not expected to be determined. They included the human bones found by a hunter in a wooded area of Warrior Creek Church Road a few weeks ago.
Total deaths in 2014 from all causes were 491, which is down from a total of 520 deaths in 2013.