LORIS, S.C. — A July car crash involving a drunk driver killed two teenagers, according to a lawsuit filed this week.
The incident occurred on July 13, when Chance Huggins, 16, allegedly under the influence, was driving a 1997 Dodge Ram pickup with 17-year-old Carson Hatcher as a passenger. The vehicle crossed the center line on S.C. Highway 19, ran off the road, collided with a tree, and then struck a house.
According to court records, Chance Huggins died at the scene, while Carson Hatcher was pronounced dead at a local hospital, as confirmed by the Horry County Coroner's Office.
The lawsuit, filed by Christopher Hatcher, claims Chance Huggins was “highly intoxicated” at the time of the crash. It alleges that alcohol was obtained from an outlet referred to as “ABC Corporation” and that Robert Michael Huggins, Chance's father, allowed his son to drive while impaired.
Christopher Hatcher is suing the store, along with Chance Huggins' estate and Robert Michael Huggins, seeking over $100,000 in damages. The complaint states that Robert Huggins facilitated underage drinking on his property and was aware of his son's intoxication prior to the crash.
Authorities are investigating the incident, and further details have yet to be confirmed. Robert Michael Huggins could not be reached for comment.