BERKELEY COUNTY, S.C. – The mother of two brothers who died in a car crash two months ago in Charleston County has died, the Berkeley County Coroner’s Office confirmed.
Jametta Hamilton, 61, of Berkeley County died Saturday of “possibly natural causes,” Coroner Darnell Hartwell said.
Jametta is the mother of Earl and James Hamilton. The Hamilton brothers along with two other victims were killed on Nov. 18, 2023, after their vehicle struck an oak tree also known as the “Widowmaker” on Riverland Drive near George Griffith Boulevard on James Island.
On Jan. 25, the Charleston Police Department announced the arrest of Brittany Nicole Roper, 26, of James Island in connection with the fatal crash. She is charged with four counts of felony driving under the influence.
According to CPD, officers arrived at the scene just before 1:30 a.m. and found a white Cadillac SUV lying on its side that had collided with an oak tree infamously known as the “Widowmaker.”
All passengers except for the driver had been ejected from the vehicle and were pronounced dead at the scene. The victims were identified by the Charleston County Coroner’s Office as Tyler Barron, Earl Hamilton Jr., James Hamilton, and Mitchell Watson.
The police department’s major accident investigation team (MAIT) conducted the investigation, which included the analysis of the toxicology report of Roper.
The report revealed Roper had a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.090%, along with the presence of THC and THC metabolites. Information from the vehicle’s event data recorder indicated that the vehicle was traveling at a speed between 89 and 96 mph moments before the crash and between 79 and 88 mph at the time of the collision. The posted speed limit on the section of the road in which the collision occurred is 40 mph.
Chief Chito Walker said, “This devastating collision has inflicted unimaginable pain and loss upon the families of the victims. It was not just tragic and senseless but also entirely preventable. Our deepest sympathies are with the families and loved ones of those whose lives were so abruptly taken. This incident illustrates the dire consequences of impaired and reckless driving – a harsh reality that should remind us all of the responsibility we hold when behind the wheel.”
The oak tree where the crash occurred is known as the “Widowmaker” because it has been the site of numerous crashes, some of them fatal. Some residents have launched an online petition to call for the tree’s removal.
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