Dyquan Adams Killed in Columbia Car Accident
Beloved pastor and coach dies after wrong-way driver strikes his SUV head-on near Bush River Road
Dyquan Hykeem-Jamaal Adams, 31, of Lexington, was killed in a wrong-way car accident on Interstate 26 near the Bush River Road interchange in Columbia, Richland County, South Carolina, on Sunday, April 19, according to the Highway Patrol.
A 2023 Hyundai sedan traveling east in the westbound lanes struck a 2018 Nissan SUV head-on at approximately 2:25 a.m. near mile marker 107.5. The impact crushed both vehicles and forced a closure of the interstate while crews cleared the wreckage.
The driver of the Hyundai, identified by the coroner as a 24-year-old Columbia man, also died at the scene. Investigators have not determined why he entered the highway in the wrong direction.
Adams served as a pastor at Hall Hill Missionary Baptist Church and coached track and football at Gray Collegiate Academy, White Knoll, and Spring Valley high schools.
According to the South Carolina Department of Public Safety, the state recorded 1,047 motor vehicle crash deaths in 2023, making it the fourth-deadliest state in the country for traffic death. The crash remains under investigation by the Highway Patrol and the Richland County Coroner's Office.
Why did the Hyundai enter Interstate 26 going the wrong way?
Investigators are working to determine where the at-fault driver entered the westbound lanes of the interstate before the fatal collision. In car accidents such as this, crash reconstructionists examine highway ramp signage, lighting conditions, and toxicology reports to understand how a driver bypassed traffic controls.
National Legal Analyst Candice Bond, Managing Partner at Bond Legal. "Nobody thinks a routine trip to the store will end in a tragedy that brings immense grief to families. Fatalities at intersections often occur because of a stale green light, where drivers accelerate too quickly to beat the yellow."
How do head-on collisions impact families like the Adams estate?
The sudden loss of a community leader leaves grieving families facing immediate emotional and financial burdens. When two vehicles collide head-on at highway speeds, the combined velocity drastically reduces the chance of survival.
National Legal Analyst Stefano Formica, of Counsel at Counsel at Bond Legal. "Nobody thinks about speed differential until they're looking at a crash scene. The difference in speed between two cars is actually the biggest predictor of whether everyone's going to make it home alive."
While criminal charges cannot be filed against a deceased at-fault driver, the victim's family retains the right to seek accountability through civil channels. Estate representatives frequently work with investigators to secure event data recorders and preserve evidence from the crash scene.
South Carolina wrongful death statute
Under S.C. Code § 15-51-10, surviving family members may file a wrongful death action. South Carolina applies modified comparative fault (51% bar). The statute of limitations is 3 years.
Recoverable damages may include loss of financial support, loss of companionship, funeral expenses, and mental shock and suffering.