Arrest made in DUI collision

PROSPERITY — A Prosperity man has been charged with felony driving under the influence, death results, following a deadly crash on Dec. 22 on U.S. Highway 76.

Shane Cameron Rogers, 34, has been charged with felony driving under the influence, death results; hit and run, duties of driver involved in accident with death; driving under suspension, license suspended for DUI; and violation of probation warrant.

According to Master Trooper Gary Miller, with the South Carolina Highway Patrol, the wreck took place at approximately 7:40 p.m. on Dec. 22 with three vehicles involved. The accident occurred on U.S. 76, about a mile west of Prosperity.

He said a 2008 Toyota Prius was traveling east on U.S. 76, Rogers, who was driving a 2017 Ford pickup, was traveling west when he went left of center, and struck the Prius head-on. Debris from the collision then struck a 2014 Honda Odyssey minivan, with six occupants.

The driver of the Prius was fatality injured and identified by Newberry County Coroner Laura Kneece as Karen Snell, 61, of Chapin. Kneece said an autopsy revealed that Snell died of injuries received during the collision. There is evidence that Snell was wearing a seat belt at the time of the collision.

The Newberry County Sheriff’s Office assisted with this wreck, and according to Sheriff Lee Foster, a good Samaritan helped Rogers out of his car, at which point he ran.

“The Newberry County Sheriff’s Office brought in the bloodhounds and tracked him through the junkyard and over the railroad and then down the tracks. He was captured right in the area of the railroad tracks,” Foster said.

Foster also said that Rogers was not driving his own vehicle, but a work truck.

A background check on Rogers through the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) shows a lengthy record beginning in 2006.

Rogers was first charged with driving under the influence in 2013, with numerous other DUI charges following. Prior to this charge, he most recently was arrested for driving under the influence in December of 2020.