Four University of South Carolina Upstate students died after a fiery crash early Sunday morning, according to multiple reports.
Greenville Online reported that a vehicle with five passengers was traveling in Spartanburg, S.C., around 1:45 a.m. Sunday when the car left the roadway, struck a tree and caught fire, according to Lance Cpl. Gary Miller of the Highway Patrol.
All five were full-time students at USC Upstate, said Tammy Whaley, spokeswoman for the school.
Three of the vehicle’s occupants died at the scene. Two were injured and transported to the hospital. One of those two injured students later died, Whaley said.
Spartanburg County Coroner Rusty Clevenger has released the name of three victims: Joshua Lee, 20, of Spartanburg, James Campbell, 21, of Greenville, S.C., and Sara Vande Berg, 21, of Zephyr Hills, Fla., according to WYFF4.com.
Lee was a 20-year-old Spartanburg resident. He was a junior at USC Upstate where he majored in physical education and served as an orientation leader, according to the university website.
“Josh was the most generous man I ever met in my entire life,” Sam Cheshier, a soccer player at USC Upstate, said. “Josh was the most unselfish guy I know.”
A resident of Greenville, Campbell was a junior at USC Upstate where he majored in business administration.
The university website notes that Campbell “was an intense (soccer) player whose competitiveness made those around him play harder.”
“James always had a smile on his face. He just loved life and he loved people,” said Shawn Campbell, James’ father.
Vande Berg Sarah was a senior at USC Upstate. Her father, Todd Vande Berg, told WYFF, “Sarah was a wonderful daughter. She had an outgoing personality and she truly loved people.”
The university wrote on its website that Vande Berg “was a Disney fanatic who was focused on using a degree in communications to land her dream job at the happiest place on Earth. She was an accomplished tennis player who first picked up a racket at age seven.”
A candlelight vigil will be held at the school’s soccer stadium at 7 p.m. Monday, Whaley said.
Highway Patrol is investigating the crash.
Filed under: News Tagged: University of South Carolina Upstate
