HANAHAN, S.C.–A Hanahan man pled guilty Wednesday in court for the death of a small child and the serious injuries of three others.
Dale E. Yarbrough, 58, is charged with one count of Felony DUI Causing Death, and three counts of Felony DUI Causing Great Bodily Injury. The charges stemmed from an October 22, 2016, wreck that
occurred on Cosgrove Avenue in North Charleston, which a nine-year-old dead and three other people seriously injured.
The Honorable R. Markley Dennis heard the plea, and sentenced Yarborough to 18 years on the Felony DUI Causing Death charge, and 15 years on each of the Felony DUI Causing Great Bodily Injury charges. The sentences will run concurrently.
At approximately 6:00 p.m. on October 22, 2016, the North Charleston Police Department responded to the fatal collision that occurred at the intersection of the I-26 off-ramp and Cosgrove Avenue in North Charleston. Upon arrival, officers discovered that Yarborough was driving his pick-up truck at a high rate of speed coming off I-26 when he collided with three vehicles on the off-ramp and then lost control of his vehicle.
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Upon losing control, Yarbrough’s truck left the roadway and careened down and then up a grass embankment separating the off-ramp from Cosgrove Avenue. The pitch of the embankment in combination with excessive speed launched Yarbrough’s truck airborne and he then crashed into two vehicles that were traveling on Cosgrove Avenue.
The first vehicle was driven by Karen King, 52 years old, and was also occupied by her granddaughters, Nautica and Da’vieona Hamilton, 11 and 9 years old respectively. The second vehicle was driven by Steven Cox, 55.
Tragically, Da’vieona Hamilton instantly died from the force of the collision, while Karen King, Nautica Hamilton, and Steven Cox all suffered severe injuries and were transported from the scene to area hospitals. The individuals traveling in the other three vehicles that Yarbrough hit on the off-ramp avoided serious injury.
The investigation and accident reconstruction performed by the North Charleston Police Department Traffic Unit with assistance by the South Carolina Highway Patrol’s MAIT Team revealed that Yarbrough was traveling approximately 109 miles per hour just seconds before the first collision on the off-ramp. North Charleston investigators estimate his speed at the time of the collision with the two vehicles on Cosgrove Avenue at 55-60 miles per hour. Investigators also obtained bodily fluid samples from Yarbrough, which were analyzed by SLED, and confirmed Yarbrough’s blood alcohol concentration at the time of the accident to be .219%,
nearly 3 times the legal allowable alcohol concentration in South Carolina.
Yarbrough was represented by Attorney Barry Krell of the Urrichio, Howe, Krell, Jacobsen, Toporek, Theos & Keith Law Firm.
Assistant Solicitor Ted Corvey prosecuted the case on behalf of the Ninth Circuit Solicitor’s Office.
“I want to compliment the outstanding work by the North Charleston Police Department’s Traffic Unit. Their work led to a great courtroom result, which will hopefully serve as a reminder to others in the community of the potentially devastating and tragic effects that drinking and driving can have,” stated Corvey.
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