Crashes claim lives of 3 Lowcountry residents

Three people died Thursday as a result of recent crashes in the greater Charleston area.

Around 11:15 p.m., 73-year-old Dean Craven of Goose Creek was driving on Montague Plantation Boulevard when he struck a tree in the median, Berkeley County Chief Deputy Coroner George Oliver said. Craven was transported to an area hospital, where he was pronounced dead, he said.

Craven’s death has been ruled accidental, with the cause of death being head and chest trauma, Oliver said. He was not wearing a seat belt, he said.

Also Thursday, 92-year-old Ernerstine Gammon of Moncks Corner died at Medical University Hospital as a result of injuries she received in a crash on Tuesday, Berkeley County Coroner Bill Salisbury said.

Gammon was a passenger in a vehicle that was involved in a collision on U.S. Highway 17A, he said.

Additional details on that accident, which was investigated by the state Highway Patrol, were not available Friday.

A 22-year-old man also has died from injuries he received in a May 5 accident in Ravenel, authorities said.

William Mitchum of Ravenel died at Medical University Hospital, Charleston County Chief Deputy Coroner Bobbi Jo O’Neal said.

He had been hospitalized since the crash on Hyde Park Road. A head injury was the cause of his death, O’Neal said.

The wreck is being investigated by the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office. Further information on the crash was not available Friday.

Reach Glenn Smith at 937-5556 or Twitter.com/glennsmith5.