Wind during a storm lifted a restaurant umbrella in South Carolina, causing a woman to suffer a neck injury, according to authorities.
CLARENDON COUNTY, S.C. — A woman has died after she was a hit by a restaurant umbrella that was loosed by a gust of wind during a storm in South Carolina.
The Driftwood Grille, Home of the Lazy Gator restaurant described a “tragic incident” that occurred Saturday night during sudden severe weather on Lake Marion in Clarendon County.
Wind reportedly caught an umbrella at the location, causing a woman to suffer a neck injury, Clarendon County Sheriff Tim Baxley confirmed to News19. The sheriff deferred to the coroner’s office for additional information about the incident.
Coroner Jacqueline Blackwell said the woman died at the scene and an autopsy is scheduled for Wednesday. The woman’s name has not yet been released publicly, but the coroner said she was a 56-year-old woman from Huger.
The restaurant said in a post on Sunday afternoon that the incident had “deeply affected many people” in the community.
“Out of respect for the family and those impacted, we ask for continued prayers, compassion, and privacy during this incredibly difficult time,” the restaurant said in Sunday’s statement.
The restaurant also thanked emergency personnel and community members who assisted.