4 die in rash of wrecks: Crashes all involved 2-wheeled transportation

A rash of traffic accidents over the weekend involving two-wheeled vehicles left four people dead across the Lowcountry.

A bicyclist, a moped driver and two motorcyclists died from injuries they received in four separate accidents from Friday to Sunday.

Yury Babenko, 25, who was from Russia and lived in West Ashley, died shortly after the bicycle he was riding was struck by a vehicle around 10:40 p.m. on Friday at 1325 Old Towne Road in West Ashley, Charleston County Deputy Coroner Kelly Kraus said.

Babenko was transported to the Medical University Hospital, where he later died.

Authorities said the driver left the scene and was later found on Folly Road.

Charleston Police Department spokesman Charles Francis identified the vehicle's driver as Steven Keuhner, 30, who was charged with felony driving under the influence.

Also on Friday evening, the driver of a moped was struck on the Ravenel Bridge at about 10 p.m. She died Sunday at Medical University Hospital.

Kraus identified the victim as Elizabeth Parker, 32, of Johns Island.

Parker was merging onto the bridge from Coleman Boulevard, traveling toward Charleston, when a vehicle struck the moped from the rear, ejecting Parker, according to Lt. Donnie Quick of Mount Pleasant Police Department.

Quick said the driver of the vehicle, William Dennis Hunt, about 25, of Ridgeville, was arrested and charged with felony DUI.

Also on Friday night, a head-on collision involving a vehicle and a motorcyclist left one man dead in Colleton County.

Darrell Smith, 40, of 102 Cardinal Drive in Summerville, was pronounced dead at the scene after the motorcycle he was driving collided with a sport utility vehicle, Colleton County Coroner Richard Harvey said.

The accident occurred at 26409 August Highway, also known as S.C. Highway 61, near Ridgeville at 9:24 p.m.

Harvey said Smith died from multiple trauma. He was not wearing a helmet, Harvey added.

The driver of the SUV, whose name was not released, was transported to Colleton Medical Center, Harvey said.

He did not know the extent of her injuries.

On Sunday, another motorcyclist died on U.S. Highway 17 near McClellanville about 1 p.m. when the driver of the motorcycle left the roadway near South Santee Road and crashed into some trees, Maj. John Clark of Charleston County Sheriff's Office said.

The identity of the victim, who was not wearing a helmet, had not been released late Sunday pending notification of relatives, Clark said.

Reach Warren L. Wise at 937-5524.